The Judges
by Shadow55419
Summary: the Tiger slayers fall and their children take their place.
1. Chapter 1

One and only Disclaimer, getting tired of writing them: I DONT OWN ZOIDS CHARACTER PROFILES THAT BELONG TO ME WILL BE AT THE END.

CLARE NOVIS (Formerly Clare O'Connell) IS DGRAYLIGER'S CHARACTER. AGAIN USED WITH FULL PERMISSION.

The Judges

Ch. 1

It has been ten years since Raven and Reese moved to the Wind Colony with Nichalo, who is now 14 years old. Van is retired from the Guardian Force and living happily with his wife Fiona, his 18 year old son Daniel, and his daughter Joyce who is 12 years old. Wolf, Clare and a 13 year old Melody, are still living right next door to them.

Irvine and Moonbay live on the other side of the village with a 14 year old Michael, who seems to be quiet the ladies man, though he never claims to like any one, and their 5 year old daughter named Sarah.

Two weeks after the sixteenth anniversary of Daniel Novis's death; Van, Irvine, Raven and Wolf were called to the base closest to the Wind Colony. When they arrived they were told they were being brought out of retirement to command a task force to help track down and arrest a group calling themselves the Judges. This group went after Zoid pilots, civilians, and military alike; they also didn't seem to care if their target was Imperial or Republican. The men and their task force spent two weeks checking out leads and getting all the details they could, which a lot of conflicted with some other detail. Basically what they knew for sure was that they had 5- 50 Zoids and four leaders.

After two more weeks they got the groups attention, and were notified of a place to meet them. It was an open desert area at least fifteen to twenty miles from the nearest anything.

"Okay fellas, we need to make this quick, the kids are starting to miss us, and I'm starting to long for home and Clare," Wolf said as they watched the group coming towards them from behind the controls of his Konig Wolf.

This was the first time they confirmed the numbers of the group. 44 mix and matched Zoids were barreling towards them at a high speed, this meant they were out gunned and outnumbered, and they all knew it.

"Not the first time we've been outnumbered, let's do this," Irvine said as he launched the Lightning Siax towards the oncoming hoard.

Van and Raven followed in the Blade Liger and Geno Breaker, Wolf flew past them all in the Supersonic Wolf. Four Zoids seemed to hang back; it was assumed by all four of the men that they were the leaders.

Irvine and the Lightning Siax took out five Zoids with teeth and claws, after losing his back mounted cannons to one of the other five he had taken down, and went after one of the leaders as a way to try and end this. He already had some pretty heavy injuries but he wasn't going to give up till he ended the fight or it ended him. They fought using nothing but their abilities of close range combat, and they were going blow for blow for more than ten minutes. The fight didn't end when Irvine permanently crippled the Zoid by ripping one of the back legs off, but when the enemy got off a lucky shot that blew the cockpit clear off the Lightning Siax. The shock wave of the bullet tearing through the Zoid and the impact with the ground killed the already badly injured Irvine.

Van managed to take out five of the enemy Zoids using the blades and claws of his Liger. One of the enemy Zoids fired a shot aimed at the cockpit, Van didn't have time to react and was killed when the bullet went through the glass, Zeke continued to fight un-piloted taking out two more before both blades snapped off from the stress, and two more with teeth and claws until being brought down with a shot to the Zoid core that exploded taking two more enemies and Zeke with it.

Raven and Wolf fought hard using every piece of weaponry they had between them, except the Geno Breaker's Charged Particle Gun, because they were having more fun in close combat. With both men laughing like maniacs as they took out another 10 Zoids before a shot to the loaded core of the Supersonic Wolf brought about a huge explosion wiping out everything within a mile and a half, Raven was killed by the blast making sure that the remaining enemy Zoids stayed within the blast zone, Shadow went with him still fused to the core of the Geno Breaker.

Wolf's body was completely incinerated by the blast, the four Organoids; Blaze, Mystic, Aurora, and Tyrant, went with him and the Konig Wolf, making sure the blast was intense, and insanely powerful. Shadow and Raven didn't eject out before the blast took them out according to the recorders in some of the enemy Zoids, and there wasn't enough left of the Geno Breaker for them to have survived.

Four Zoids limped away from the battlefield badly damaged by the blast, one limping on three legs, and the Judges were never heard from again. The battlefield was littered with Zoid corpses, the only remnants of the Konig Wolf and the Geno Breaker were two pieces of armor from the Geno Breaker's X breakers, and the Konig's tail that had been taken off by an enemy Zoid before the core explosion.

From the Pteras that flew over later the aftermath looked like a black hole in the ground that just killed everything in its path, and no person or thing was moving inside it.

"What gods on Zi would let this happen," was all the pilot of the Pteras could mutter before choking up and heading back to base tears in his eyes.

Everyone at the base, Emperor Rudolph and the President of the Helic Republic in their respective capitals, all watched on in shock knowing the Tiger slayers team had ended in combat. A path, that before their families were involved would have been the chosen way for all of them, but was now something to mourn for everyone that cared anything about them. Marian burst into tears, knowing that the friends of her husband were forever gone.

Meanwhile, back in the Wind Colony the ladies of their lives all felt the pang of sadness, and loss at the same time Wolf and Raven went down. They all looked to the direction their husbands had taken when they left the village nearly a month before. Somehow knowing that they would never see their husbands again, Clare, Fiona and Reese broke down and cried in the middle of the street, not caring who saw them, Polaris and Specular didn't know what to do so they remained quiet. Moonbay stood there motionless, still looking away to a distant place as two tears rolled down her cheeks.

Two days later they got the official notice that the loves of their lives were gone forever, the children all cried for their fallen fathers. A week later the bodies of Van Flyheight and Irvine were placed into the ground beside two empty caskets for Raven and Wolf Novis at the Wind Colony cemetery. Emperor Rudolph and his wife Marian along with many of the commanding officers of the Guardian Force were in attendance as well as the President and some of her staff, no one shed a tear even though they all felt the world had come to a stop. Rob Herman as well as Karl and Thomas Schubaltz saluted the headstones before leaving. Marian left flowers on all four graves, as did the President and the members of her staff that knew the men well.

"They went out fighting, they wouldn't have wanted it any other way," Rudolph said to the wives of the four men, who up until then had been standing tall and strong, not shedding a tear for their husbands as they were laid in the ground.

Clare broke down and cried on Polaris, who was next to her. Fiona buried her face in her hands and cried as did Reese, Specular standing watch over her.

"Mommy, why are they putting daddy in the ground?" Sarah asked as Moonbay tried her hardest not to cry in front of her daughter.

"Sarah, why don't you and I go play," Joyce said trying not to choke on the knot in her throat, while taking the young girl's hand and leading her away from the cemetery, as soon as they were out of site Moonbay hit her knees and broke down crying into her hands.

"Mom, I know there is nothing I can say right now, but I'm here if you need a shoulder to cry on," Melody said taking her mother's hand in hers.

The other's nodding the same thing to their mothers, Polaris and Specular growled their agreement as well. Daniel stood quietly watching something that had become a familiar thing in his life, funerals. Daniel had become a Republican officer in the Guardian Force, freshly signed and not even through training yet, but he had already seen his uncle Daniel buried when he was two years old, and now the others he called uncle and his father were being buried as well. He felt a great sadness, one that urged him to cry out in sorrow and pain, but as a military man he would follow Wolf's example and not allow himself to show his emotions.

"Wolf, I hope you took them all with you," the blonde haired young man said as he turned away from the cemetery and headed home, a single tear rolling down his face.

Melody was a great help to her mother and the others over the next few days, allowing them to speak freely of the past, simply because it interested her, and it seemed to help them to remember the happy times of their marriages and lives after the Guardian Force. Nichalo, Michael, and Joyce all seemed to enjoy the stories that their mothers told about their fathers, and the times they fought to protect Zi. Daniel was distant and rather annoyed by talk of the past, he had been given two weeks leave to grieve when all he wanted was to blow something up as a release for the pain he felt, he had also taken to leaving the 'Uncle' off when he spoke of Wolf, Irvine or Raven. This bothered everyone, but they let it slide due to the situation.

When he returned to his training he was still well ahead of the group he had been training with, due to his father's help with his piloting and Raven's help training physically when he first thought about joining. He spent most of his off time on the shooting ranges and obstacle courses for both human and Zoids. Nichalo seemed to be interested in the mechanics of Zoids more than piloting them, though he was a great pilot of the Psycho Genosaurer. Michael and Melody just wanted to go as fast as possible, just like their fathers before them. Joyce had no interest in anything more than science and how things worked, but she had skill in the cockpit of a Zoid. Sarah was at an age where she didn't fully understand what was going on, but was happy to sit and listen to the tales of her father and uncles.


	2. Chapter 2

Ch. 2

"Daniel wake up, we need to get a move on," a black haired well tanned man said as he packed up their camp site with the help of a black haired blue eyed woman.

"Alright, I'm moving, Michael I swear between you and Melody you could drive a fella off a cliff," Daniel, a tall spiky blonde haired man with red eyes, said as he pulled himself off the ground.

As he looked around he found it hard to believe that it had been nearly ten years since his father and the men he once called uncles were killed by the Judges, a group that so far was no longer existent, his sister Joyce and the others had joined the Guardian Force as soon as they could. Joyce, still the black haired image of their mother, was a scientist and researcher as well as a test pilot working under Thomas Schubaltz, Nichalo was the mechanic for Melody's Zoid, her mother's Blade Liger, Melody and Michael had followed in his footsteps and became soldiers, they were all lieutenants so no formality was ever given between them.

"We got a call from HQ to report in at Red River Base, Joyce and Nichalo are already on route to meet us," the blue eyed woman said as she hopped into the blue and black Blade Liger.

"Sure thing Melody, we're moving'," Daniel said as he climbed the leg of his Zoid.

Michael got into a customized Power Reinforced Command Wolf, while Daniel jumped into his Zoid, an exchange Great Zaber from the Empire, a gift from the Emperor himself, painted to resemble the Blade Liger his father had once piloted. Michael's sister Sarah, the youngest of them had just turned 15 and they were on their way back to base after attending the party.

Daniel being the oldest of the group at 28 looked just like Van with his mother's blonde hair and red eyes, hair style and Zi mark included; he got used to wearing his father's usual uniform.

Michael, now 24, had Irvine's brown hair and grey eyes with his mother's looks and Zi mark; he also wore his father's eye patch with the standard Lieutenants uniform.

Melody, now 23, looked like a black haired version of her mother, same face and her father's blue eyes, she had no Zi mark like her father, and she wore the Lieutenants uniform her mother wore during her time as a GF officer.

Joyce, now 22, had grown up to look like her mother, but with her father's black hair and black eyes, she even wore an outfit similar to her mother's Guardian Force outfit but in a deep blue instead of pink.

Nichalo who is now 24, didn't look much like either of his parents, though he had his father's long black hair and his mothers pale blue eyes, he typically wore a uniform resembling his father's but with two thin blue stripes over the shoulders and down both legs.

Sarah, the youngest of the group at 15, was the exact same as Moonbay, except she wore her black hair down instead of up in braids, she was also more into dresses and fanciness then her mother ever was.

"Alright, let's go find out what they want," the blonde man said as he turned the Zoid in the direction of the base after returning to reality with a nudge from Melody.

"Right behind you," Melody and Michael said as they took off after him.

Daniel had a bad feeling that he just couldn't shake, something big was going on and somehow he knew the five of them were about to be right in the middle of it, and he hated that feeling.

"Hey Melody, has Daniel been acting a little more off than usual lately or is it just me?" Michael asked as they ran through the desert.

"Yeah, I noticed it back at home, he seemed uncomfortable and out of place while we were there," Melody replied.

Two days later they arrived at the Red River Base as requested, as they walked the halls, Melody noticed something in the barracks hall, her father's old room, the name plate still on the door frame. She brushed it off for the time being, and made a mental note to ask the base commander for the key to the room.

"Captain, Lieutenants Daniel Flyheight, Melody Novis, and Michael reporting as ordered, ma'am," Daniel said as he and the other saluted the blonde haired woman in front of them.

"Lieutenants, I am Captain Natalia Herman, I'm glad you've all made it here, Nichalo and Joyce Flyheight have already reported in, they're waiting for us in the briefing room," Captain Herman, a tall blonde haired woman, said returning the salute before leading them to the room.

"So what's this all about?" Daniel asked as they all settled into a chair dropping all formality.

"First off Lieutenant, I don't care for your informal attitude, but since I hear your father was the same way, I guess I can give a little this time," Natalia said with a little extra emphasis on 'Lieutenant' as she handed each of them a folder.

"Ten years ago your fathers were killed in action while fighting a large group known as the Judges," Natalia paused noticing just how much Daniel's expression changed from a not so interested person who didn't want to be there, to the most interested one in the room, "Well, they seem to have come back, we don't know how big they are or even when they first made their come back, but they have at least four Zoids."

Over the next two hours, Daniel and the others had learned so much about this group from reading old files on them that they were all exhausted and ready to turn in.

"Excuse me Captain, can I ask for the keys to the room with Wolf Novis on the door frame?" Melody asked as they walked back into the command center.

"Certainly, I hear it's a rather nice room, but it hasn't been opened but once or twice in nearly twenty years, are you sure?" Natalia asked. Melody only nodded her response and Captain Herman ordered someone to retrieve the keys, "Do you mind if I join you? My father told me some stories about that room, I'd love to have a look around."

"Yeah, come on, we can all look," Daniel said once again informal as ever.

As they walked down the halls they spoke of the order from the Colonel turned President Rob Herman to leave the room alone.

"I think I've been in these quarters before," Daniel stated as they approached the door, "When I was still little."

Melody was slightly hesitant to open the room she had heard so many stories about, so Michael gently took the keys from her and opened the door.

They all began to pull covers off of things, finding that everything Wolf and Clare had left when they retired was still there. The full oven and cook top, the full fridge and freezer and everything that Wolf had built by himself.

"I heard a story once, I don't know if it true or not, but Colonel Wolf Novis built all of this by himself," Natalia said as she looked around.

"It's true, my mom told me how impressed she was with the place, and I have to agree with her, dad certainly had taste," Melody said with some amount of pride for her father's handy work.

"He got a little help from mine and Michael's dads in the kitchen," Daniel said with the same pride in his voice.

"So you really are them, huh?" Natalia asked as Melody and the others continued to look around.

"We are who exactly?" Joyce asked with confusion at her question and amazement at the room in her voice, they had all heard her say their fathers names in the briefing room, even referring to them as their fathers.

"The kids of the Death Tiger slayers," Natalia said leaning into the door frame.

"Yeah, but we've earned our way here, so no giving us any flak about our parents," Daniel said with a slightly aggressive tone.

"No need to get nasty Lieutenant, I wasn't planning on it anyway, now if you'll excuse me, I have business to attend to," the blonde woman said as she left the room.

"I'm staying here," Melody said after a while in silence.

"I think you should, I bet it would mean a ton to Uncle Wolf if you did, heck I'm a little surprised it's not some Admiral's quarters or something by now," Daniel said with a quiet chuckle.

"Daniel, that's the first time in ten years you've called him our Uncle," Joyce said as she wrapped her older brother in a hug. As they all left to find their own quarters Melody stopped Michael before he could get out the door.

"I need some help cleaning up a little, do you mind?" the black haired woman asked as she gestured to the dusty room.

"Yeah, let's get started," Michael said closing the door with a chuckle.

After spending two hours cleaning the place, Wolf's old quarters looked just like it did when he first rebuilt the place, tile floor in the shower and everything.

"Melody, I'm not sure what your dad would say if he saw you here, but I know he'd be just as proud of you as your mother is," Michael said hugging the girl before leaving the room.

_'I wonder if that note is still hidden somewhere, mom said it might be,' _Melody thought as she looked around the quarters she would call home. "Look under the night stand on the right side of the bed," the black haired woman said quietly as she remembered something her mother had said.

She went to the bedroom and found a note taped to the bottom of the nightstand. It had her name written on it in her father's hand writing.

_Melody, you aren't even born yet when I'm writing this, your mother is about two months pregnant with you, and I've come back to get a few things from these quarters, but I know that if you're reading this you've joined the Guardian Force, and are in the place your mother and I used to call home. I want you to know that no matter what you grow up to be, a Zoid pilot, a scientist or even a chef, I will always be proud of you, no matter what happens…_

_Look in the envelope to find the key to the nightstand, I'm going to leave something for you here, I know that someday, either with me coming back to get it, or you coming in here and getting it yourself, it will find its way to you, I think you'll like it either way._

_Love Always,_

_You father, _

_Mike "Wolf" Novis_

She tipped the envelope over and the key fell into her hand. Her hands shook as she unlocked the drawer, opening it they shook even more because she was swallowing tears from the letter. What she found in the bottom of the drawer made her lose the control she had over the tears. She buried her head in the pillow and cried, holding her father's Guardian Force medallion and one of his dog tags in her hand.

They all figured out later that they had been assigned to the quarters their families had shared before they retired, and that Melody had originally been assigned to Clare's old room. Daniel and Joyce found a similar note, addressed to both of them and written just before the attack that ended their father's life. They were both in tears by the time they finished reading it, they decided together that they would stay at this base.

The next day Melody woke up to someone pounding on her bedroom door.

"Who is it?" She asked groggily as she pulled herself of the bed.

"It's Michael, come on we need to move out, The Judges have attacked the Wind Colony," the brown haired man said through the door panic evident in his voice.

Melody's brain snapped into overdrive as she flew through both doors with Michael straight on her heels. Everyone was in the hanger within five seconds of someone else.

"Move out, no time to talk about it," Daniel ordered as he closed the canopy on the Great Zaber.

Nichalo and Joyce jumped into a Command Wolf that was standing nearby, not caring whose it was. Michael and Melody had jumped into their Zoids and flew out of the hanger. They didn't stop the whole way there, even though it should have taken over a week; they made it there in three days. When they arrived they found that nothing had been damaged beyond repair and that no one had been seriously injured.

"Mom, what happened," Melody asked as she walked into their home.

"They came into town, and said they had returned," Clare said before choking on the knot in her throat.

"They said that they wanted people to know they were back so they came here to make sure word got out," Moonbay finished in an angry tone.

"Nichalo, your mother wants you to take her Genosaurer with you guys, Specular will stay here though," Fiona said as she brought out some tea for them.

"Where is mom?" Nichalo asked as he took his tea.

"Reese is at home cleaning things up, she wanted to be alone is all," the aging blonde woman stated before sitting down.

Nichalo got up and walked to his old house, hoping to see Specular and his mother; he found them and spent the rest of the day with them, helping clean what had shaken off the walls. The others were asking people around town questions to see if they could find out where the group who attacked the village went.

"Melody, you found your father's medallion didn't you?" Clare asked as they ate dinner together, Polaris lying on the floor next to Clare.

"Yeah, I've put in the request that they make those my permanent quarters, I'll leave the name plate on the door though," Melody said quietly.

"We all miss them honey, it's been ten years and I still cry when I think of the day we got the official notice," the blue haired woman said getting up and wrapping her daughter in a hug.

"Daniel and Joyce will be staying in Uncle Van and Aunt Fiona's old quarters, I think Daniel gave up the master bedroom for his old room, Nichalo decided to change his quarters like dad did, make them more his own. Michael doesn't know what he wants to do yet," Melody said as she returned the hug.

"Well Irvine and Moonbay didn't change their quarters much, a few pictures on the wall and that was it, so he can do what he wants with the place," Clare laughed.

"Neither did Raven and Reese," Melody said with a laugh as well.


	3. Chapter 3

Ch. 3

A few days passed and they had run out of new information. They reported back to Red River that the Judges most definitely had four Zoids, two black Republican Konig Wolves, and two white Imperial Great Zabers, and these four were apparently the leaders of the Judges.

"I think we should head in the direction they took off, maybe we can catch up to them," Daniel said as they sat around the Zoids.

"We have orders to go back to base and I don't plan on reporting back without you to help explain the stolen Command Wolf to the Captain," Melody replied with a slight chuckle.

"Oh that's right, Joyce and Nichalo over here stole a Zoid to get here," Michael said as he laughed at their faces.

They all followed their orders and reported to Captain Herman at Red River base a week later. Nichalo in tow with the Psycho Genosaurer he was given by his mother, and Joyce piloting the 'stolen' Command Wolf.

Captain Herman met them at the gates on foot, with a look of serious disappointment and a dash of concern on her face.

"Lieutenant Joyce Flyheight, you stole a Zoid for a joy ride over to the Wind Colony, Lieutenant Daniel Flyheight you let her, but since it was an emergency situation, I will forgive you this time. Get that Command Wolf back in the hanger now," the blonde woman shouted turning back toward the base.

Once they were all in the hanger Michael and Melody got a quick briefing, before being sent back out on escort duty to bring Emperor Rudolph to the Helic Republic capital for a summit meeting with President Herman, they would act as his personal Guard while they were there as well. Daniel and Captain Herman herself would be acting as the guards for the President.

"Get moving you guys need to be at Guylos in two days," Daniel said pushing Michael towards the Power Reinforced Command Wolf.

Melody and Michael arrived in Guygalos a little more than a day after leaving Red River base.

"You've arrived just over the record time," A couple of the guards of the palace said as they escorted the pair to the Emperor's throne room.

"What do you mean?" Melody asked genuinely curious as to what the guard was talking about.

"Raven set a time record that will never be touched with his Geno Breaker, Red River to Guygalos in less than twelve hours, the fastest time after that was set by a Major Wolf Novis in his Konig Wolf, Red River base to Guygalos in twenty six hours," the guard replied with a smile, not realizing just who he was talking to.

"You two came in at 26 hrs and 30 minutes, not bad for your first trip to town," Emperor Rudolph said with a slight chuckle as he stood to greet the two soldiers in front of him.

"Your highness, thank you for the praise," Melody and Michael replied while bowing.

"You two don't need to be so formal, your fathers never were so I won't ask you to be," the brown haired man said gesturing for them to straighten themselves.

As they walked through the halls of the Palace towards the waiting Whale King, Rudolph and Marian were telling stories of when they met Melody's and Michael's fathers.

"Irvine was constantly hitting Van, or making fun of him for something while we made our way back to the capital, but he never seemed to be more than two feet away from him in a fight, almost looking after him," Rudolph said as they entered the lounge of the Whale King.

"That sounds just like dad," Michael said sitting down across from the Emperor.

"And from what we hear it sounds like the two of you, constantly watching each other's backs," Marian stated rather softly.

"Your fathers were great friends to me and great Zoid pilots, I cried for them and prayed for you and your mothers when I saw the destruction that was left behind on that battlefield," Rudolph said somberly.

The rest of the first day of a two day trip was uneventful, and filled with laughs caused by the Emperor's experiences with their fathers. Melody and Michael did need to spend some time walking about the large Zoid, speaking to the crew; they also spoke to Rosso and Viola for a few minutes when they came in for a break from flying escort.

"So you two are Wolf and Irvine's kids huh, the looks are right," Rosso said with a slight amount of sarcasm.

"I think we've grown tired of stories of our fathers, sorry we just wanted to check in about how things were going outside," Melody said in a slightly colder tone then she had meant to use.

"Situation normal but things get awful boring when all you do is sit in a cockpit," Viola said getting a chuckle out of everyone.

"Listen I know you two don't really want to hear anymore about how your fathers did in the Guardian Force, but I can at least tell you I respected Wolf and Irvine a great deal and would have followed them to the end if I could have," Rosso said placing a hand on Melody's shoulder before leaving the hanger to get some food.

"He doesn't say that about very many people, the ones he does say it about he means it," Viola said before following her husband out of the hanger.

Back in New Helic City, Daniel woke early on the second day of his deployment as the presidential guard. Captain Natalia Herman was pounding his door down trying to get his attention; they had spent most of the night talking to the President about Van and the others.

"Lieutenant Flyheight, get a move on, we're late for the guard change out," the blonde woman screamed through the heavy wooden door.

"Alright, I'm coming Captain," Daniel said as he pulled on his uniform, the one his father wore when he was in the military. As they walked the halls they spoke rather casually to each other. _'Natalia seems to have dropped the formality, must be when she's on duty that she prefers formality,' _Daniel thought as they arrived at the Presidents room.

"Alright you two, you're late, what's your excuse?" Rob asked from behind his desk.

"Sorry sir, due to being able to sleep through a sand storm in the middle of the day, I have a bad habit of over sleeping," Daniel said with his most formal tone and a salute.

"It's alright this time, because your only a minute or two late," Rob said with a slight grin. Daniel glared at Natalia for making it seem as though they were twenty minutes late.

"Sir, permission to smack the Captain for nearly knocking my door off its hinges this morning?" Daniel asked with a little less formality and a tone loaded with hatred.

"Permission denied, firstly she's my daughter, secondly it seems like a bad idea for your career," Rob said with a slight chuckle at his daughters relieved face, "Lieutenant Flyheight, work on that bad habit of over sleeping either way and Captain, try not to break any more doors, you're dismissed."

As soon as the pair was out the door, he looked up and shook his head at how much Daniel reminded him of Van.

About two hours into their shift, Daniel and Captain Herman felt the ground under their feet shake, nothing big but something like a Zoid would cause when it took a step. They ignored this event with all the Zoids standing guard walking around. Two minutes later the wall in front of them disappeared in a wall of flames.

"GET THE PRESIDENT; I'LL SEE WHAT'S GOING ON!" Daniel screamed as he headed through where the wall used to be.

"Dad, we've got to go," Natalia shouted as her father came around the desk.

"Where is Daniel?" He asked as they ran through the doors to the office.

"He's checking the area," Natalia responded as a Rev Raptor, painted all black came through one of the walls.

"I just hope he went after a Zoid," they both muttered as they stood defenseless. A blue and white Great Zaber came through the wall tackling the Rev Raptor.

"Captain Herman, get him out of here NOW, Mr. President there is a clear path to the hanger, just try and stay under my Zoid," Daniel said as he turned the Zoid to face out the hole he just came through.

Captain and President Herman ran as quickly as they could, Daniel held back on the controls, leaving himself open to attack. The Great Zaber took several hits but Daniel kept his pace so the pair running beneath him would be protected. When they arrived at the hanger, they had sufficient cover to move a little more freely, Rob made his way to a blue Shield Liger, while Captain Herman made her way to her Zoid, a Shield Liger with a flame red paint job.

"We'll cover you all the way out, Unit one is taking on the enemy head on, it's the Judges," Daniel said with an unsurprised tone of voice. As they left the hanger Daniel noticed that most of unit one was out of commission.

"That tears it, Natalia get him out of here, I'll catch up," the blonde haired red eyed man shouted as he yanked the controls towards the enemy.

"Lieutenant you get back here and help me cover the President," Captain Herman yelled out.

"Captain, now is not the time, we need to move," Rob shouted through the com link.

"Captain, I'm already done here, let's go," Daniel shouted as he ran towards the pair, leaving a trail of dead Rev Raptors behind him.

Natalia was shocked to see just how fast the enemies had fallen but wasn't about to try talking about it on the job.

"Get on the com with the Emperor's Whale King, tell them we're headed to Red River base," Rob said as he pushed the Shield Liger to its top speed, leaving New Helic city at their backs and several friendly Zoids right behind them.

Meanwhile, Melody and Michael were walking around the Whale King when the alarms started ringing out around them.

"Report," Melody shouted into her radio as they ran down the hall.

"Rosso and Viola are in combat, and they need cover," a voice said from the other end.

"Get to the hanger Melody, your better in the air then I am," Michael said as he ran towards the Emperor's lounge. Melody ran to the hanger and jumped in the first available flying Zoid, a black Redler.

"Michael, what's going on?" Rudolph asked as the younger man burst through the doors.

"We need to get you and your wife to someplace safer," the brown haired man said before calling for a few more men to help him cover the Emperor and his wife.

Outside Melody was maneuvering the Royal Redler she'd taken from the hanger just like Rosso and Viola's Storm Sworders.

"You're doing very well young lady," Rosso said through the com as he downed another all white Pteras, "Seems your father was a good teacher."

"These people were claiming to work for that group calling themselves the Judges," Viola said as the last enemy went down.

"There are reports of an attack on the President's mansion, the President is safe the meeting will be moved, location to be given only over secured channels," an officer said from the bridge of the Whale King.

"Get back in now Melody, we're going to push this hulk," Michael said through the com links.

"I'm sure the Redler can keep up," Melody shouted as she turned to fly as an escort.

"Young lady, your left wing is damaged take that Zoid back in the hanger, that's an order," Rosso said in a rather cold tone.

"Yes sir," Melody responded as she turned and landed in the Whale King hanger.

"He only meant it to protect you," Viola said through a secured channel to the black haired woman's Redler.

Melody jumped out of the Zoid after nodding to Viola through the video link, she took notice of the damage to the left wing of the Zoid, a large sparking hole through the joint, one that would have had her leaving the skies ten minutes later anyway.

Two hours later they met up with the President's escort on the way to Red River. With both the President of the Republic and the Emperor of the Guylos Empire on the same Whale King, things were tense. They doubled the air guard, and had a unit on the ground running. When they arrived at Red River base they found that Dragon Head base had sent their Iron Kong unit and several Dark Horns to stand guard.

"Okay folks, let's get the royalty off this bird," Daniel said as he unloaded his Great Zaber only to stand next to the hanger ramp.

"Lieutenant Flyheight, you will get your attitude straight. Your highness I'm sorry for his disrespect." Natalia said as they exited the Whale King on foot.

"It's alright, I've dealt with his father's casual attitude as well, I can't very well berate him for his," Rudolph said while Marian nodded her agreement.

Ten minutes later they were all in the base and security was on high alert. Captain Herman was giving Daniel a stern warning about his informality while Melody and the others stood by, when the alarms went off all around them.

"This is Captain Herman, report the situation," the blonde woman said into a radio as they all ran towards the control room.

"Two unidentified Zoids approaching," a voice said through the radio's speaker.

"Do they have ID Codes?" Daniel asked taking the radio from Natalia.

"Yes Sir, but they're nearly twenty years old, last used ten years ago," the voice said.

As they ran through the halls the Lieutenants and the Captain turned towards the hanger instead of the Control room.

_'Could it really be them? After ten years could it really be them?' _Daniel thought as he jumped in his Great Zaber.

They met the two Zoids nearly on hundred miles from Red River Base, thinking just maybe a pair of long lost heroes had been brought back from the dead. A black and red Wolf type Zoid with long shoulder armor and drag fins on each leg and form fitted goggles on it head and no tail, along with a bright red Geno Breaker met them on the desert.

"What are those Zoids?" Captain Herman asked.

"That wolf, I've seen it before…DAD!" Melody screamed out.

"The red Zoid is the Geno Breaker belonging to Raven," Daniel said before hearing the jets of the Psycho Genosaurer behind him. Nichalo slammed the large blue Zoid to a halt as he spotted the Geno Breaker in front of Daniel's Zoid.

"Is that the Supersonic Wolf?" Joyce asked as she came up in a Command Wolf borrowed from the testing grounds.

"They haven't communicated with us yet, standing this close we should have heard something," Daniel said after a few minutes of standing on the field with the two Zoids.

"Melody, Michael, you two cover me I'm going out, everyone else head back to base I've got a nasty feeling about all this," the blonde man said as he opened the canopy of the Great Zaber after grabbing the pistol next to his seat.

"There should be a switch on, or near the left ear of the Konig, Dad used it to get in and out when mom slept in it," Melody said as Daniel approached the two Zoids. Everyone, including Captain Herman had arrived back at base and they were watching every move through the surveillance Pteras they had sent out.

"Lieutenant Flyheight, be careful," Marian said knowing he probably didn't want to hear her.

Rudolph took his wife's hand in his while President Herman stood arms crossed, once again reminded of the men he once called friends by their children.

_'Always leaping before looking, just like Van,' _the president thought with a quiet laugh. Rudolph and Marian seemed to see the same thing, and the three of them started laughing out loud, only to receive funny looks from the others in the command center.

"Daniel, open that hatch real slow like, we don't know what's on the other side." Joyce said through the radio. Instead of following his sister's advice Daniel threw the hatch open with one hand and grabbed his gun as quickly as he could with the other.

"Well this is going to be hard to explain I guess," Daniel said staring at a man he'd not seen in just over ten years, Wolf Novis.


	4. Chapter 4

Ch. 4

Blaze, Tyrant, and Aurora finally ejected from the Konig Wolf bringing back its original form, minus the tail. Mystic ejected from the core of the Geno Breaker, Shadow was in the cockpit resting.

*We need to get these men to the base NOW!* Blaze growled as he refused and controlled the Konig Wolf as they all ran towards Red River Base with the other Organoids running slightly in front of them.

When they arrived Wolf and Raven were taken from the cockpits of the two Zoids straight to the medical center.

Two weeks went by of nothing but waiting. Melody, Nichalo and the others had been ordered to be silent about the current situation until the true identities of the two men currently held in the brig could be confirmed. Captain Herman wouldn't listen to them when they told her the four Organoids would only listen to the real Wolf Novis, and they could tell if it wasn't him, and the same went for Shadow and Raven.

"I don't care what you say about those Organoids, they could have been brain washed, or manipulated into this, and I cannot afford to risk the security of this base," Natalia said as she slammed her hands down on the desk.

"Okay, so we test them, ask them things only they would know, things about what I did here when I was a kid," Daniel shouted back slamming his hands down as well. Melody and Michael stood behind him nodding their agreement with him.

"Captain Herman, perhaps if President Herman and myself asked these men those questions it would be more believable for you," Emperor Rudolph said as he and Rob Herman entered the room.

"Gentlemen, I cannot risk your safety to find out who these men are," the blonde captain said through a glare aimed at Daniel.

"Natalia, you don't have a choice, I'm going to ask those men the questions I want answered," Rob said turning on his heels and leaving the room.

Natalia followed him closely spouting off about his safety as the president, while Rudolph, Melody, Michael and Daniel followed in silence simply because they didn't want to risk losing what they wanted and were getting. They arrived at the brig a short time later and noticed the two men were awake and rather happy to see all of them.

"Colonel Herman, good to see you in good health," Wolf said extending a hand through the bars, it went unshaken so he just laid it on the cross piece.

"I take it you people want to confirm who we are before asking how we survived the last ten years and unnoticed at that," Raven said before sitting on the bed behind him.

"That's the basic idea Raven, and you get to go first," Rudolph said as he approached the bars, "What did I do when you first tried to hand me over to Medlonik and his men for Prozen?"

"You charged me, bound with your mouth covered," the lavender eyed man responded quickly.

"That's right, now what did I call Rosso and Viola when you first met up with Van in the Genosaurer and they stopped you from getting at me?" the brown haired man asked quietly.

"You called them your parents, Van nearly fell out of his seat in the Shield Liger," Raven said with a slight chuckle.

"That's good enough for me, President Herman it's your turn," Rudolph said as he stepped back from the bars.

"Wolf, what did Fiona and Moonbay do when Major O'Connell died?" Herman asked seeing everyone's expression change.

"They cried, you broke your ring finger hitting the ground repeatedly, Irvine stood there, and I did something I've only done twice in my life, I howled in anger and pain," the blue eyed man answered with his head looking down.

"Right, though I really don't want think about the finger. Now what did I ask of you when I saw your quarters for the first time while you were on injury leave?" Herman asked with a grin on his face and clinching his fist a few times.

"You asked me to do yours, though I never did get around to it," Wolf said laughing.

"Uncle Wolf, where was it you put the medallion Melody has on right now?" Michael asked being the only other person who knew.

"I taped a note to the nightstand, right side of the bed the key and a letter were in it, and I'm going to guess she cried when she found it," the blue eyed man responded again noticing the tears in Melody's eyes.

"Wolf, which one of you did I listen to more often, you or my dad and mom?" Daniel asked knowing exactly what he'd say.

"You listened to your father more often than you think, you listened to me when I used that tone that gets me what everyone else wants, your mother was too soft on you though," Wolf responded shocking all of them except Daniel who just grinned.

"It's him, I've never been surer," The red eyed man said with a chuckle.

Melody had one question to ask but she couldn't bring herself to ask it, she pulled Michael's sleeve and gestured to him to lean in. When Michael pulled his head away he had a bewildered look on his face but he nodded to her and walked over to the door gesturing to Wolf to come closer.

"Melody knows where her name came from, she wants to hear you say it out loud to prove who you are," the brown haired man whispered through the bars.

"Melody, you got your name from the first girl I ever loved when I was younger, a bandit that was part of Razor's crew from when I ran with them," Wolf answered quietly before Melody wrapped him in a hug through the bars.

President Herman and Rudolph were not at all surprised by his answer, though most of the others were. Michael and Daniel were stunned and seemed unwilling to move, neither of them knew about that, Natalia seemed to be in a total state of confusion. Melody was crying tears of joy into her father's shirt through the cell bars.

"Captain Herman now would be a good time to let these gentlemen out," Rudolph said gesturing to the keys in her hand. The captain did as ordered and let Raven and Wolf out of the cell. Raven finally asked the question that had been on his mind for nearly ten years.

"Where is Nichalo?" the lavender eyed man asked as they left the brig hall of the base.

"Behind you," a voice came from the direction they had just come from. Raven and the others turned to see Nichalo standing there in tears before running to his father's arms.

"Why didn't you come back? Why didn't you tell us you were alive?" Nichalo asked through sobs and tears. Raven just smiled and held his son's embrace, even though everyone in the hall that passed by was looking at them, Raven didn't care, he had his son to take care of again.

They all managed to move to another part of the base that was familiar to all of them, Melody's quarters.

"So they kept this place huh?" Wolf asked as they walked through the door.

"Yeah, under direct standing order from me," Rob responded as he sat on the couch.

"Who's using them now?" Raven asked noticing how clean the place looked.

"I am, just seemed a waste of time to let them go unused," Melody said from the chair across from him, Michael sat on the arm of the chair while Natalia and Daniel took the other chair.

"Okay guys, let's get to business. What on Zi kept you two from coming back all this time? We thought you two were dead, looked that way from the blast mark on the ground," President Rob Herman said leaning his elbows on his legs.

"We were dead, at least we thought so," Wolf said as he leaned back into the couch.

Flashback

"Wolf, we're getting pounded, Van, Zeke and Irvine are down, we need to end this," Raven shouted through the com link.

"I know it Raven, let's tear 'em up," Wolf said as he broke into maniacal laughter swinging the claws of the Konig, pounding cockpit after cockpit.

*Wolf, the Zoid core is exposed, one hit and kaboom,* Mystic said from her position on the core.

"Okay Mystic, can we use that to our advantage somehow?" the black haired man asked as they powered through two more Zoids, his eyes shining red.

*Fake a hit to the core, the armors already repaired there,* Tyrant said.

"Okay so how do we fake a core explosion?" Raven asked through gritted teeth.

Wolf quickly counted the Zoid corpses on the ground around them, he found a Zoid with an opening over the core.

"That's how Raven, there's a Rev Raptor with an open core," Wolf said yanking the controls and heading in that direction. Raven led an enemy to fire on the open core before swinging around and keeping him with in the blast zone.

"Wolf, it's been one hell of a ride, at least we went fighting," Raven said as everything around him turned white.

"You got that right," Wolf laughed as the blast enveloped both Zoids.

End Flashback

"When everything turned white around us, I felt the Geno Breaker getting hotter before having this feeling of being towed away, and then everything went dark," Raven said looking at the floor.

"When we woke up, we thought we were long dead and in heaven, we saw them putting four caskets in the ground at the Wind Colony, I don't really know what we were thinking but we turned around and left," Wolf said as he too lowered his gaze to the floor.

"You could have rode into town, and cleared this whole mess up, we were all there," Rob said calmly leaning back into the seat he was in.

"We really didn't know how we cleared out of that blast, it should have taken us with it, but it didn't, we would have sounded like mad men trying to explain it," Raven said before realizing the Organoids weren't there, "Where are Shadow and the others?"

"Blaze and the three others are repairing the Konig Wolf, and Shadow is doing the same for the Geno Breaker, they won't leave the Zoids till they're fixed," Melody said with a slight chuckle.

"It's been two weeks, how aren't they done yet?" Michael asked looking towards the door.

"Probably are, just don't want to risk something going wrong, I've had trouble keeping the Konig balanced without the tail for ten years," Wolf said before going to the kitchen and getting a bottle of water.

Meanwhile, in the hanger Joyce was watching over the two Zoids when Blaze approached her.

*Do you have a Konig Wolf tail lying around? This thing gets awfully hard to balance without one,* the black eyed Organoid asked looking towards the Konig Wolf.

"Yeah, I think we have the tail that came off this one here in storage, President Herman had them keep it and the armor pieces from the Breaker too," the black haired girl said in a soft tone.

*Zeke went with the Liger, I know you were really hoping since we showed up that he would to, but he really is gone and none of us can explain why we aren't, Joyce, nothing could have been done, you know that,* he growled out wrapping the girl in a hug, before the black haired woman broke down and cried into his armored chest.

*Blaze, I found the tail, and its back on, we can go now,* Aurora, the metallic orange and green eyed Organoid, said not noticing Joyce crying.

After a few minutes the five Organoids were walking down the halls following Joyce to Melody's quarters.

"Blaze, did my father say anything before he was killed?" Joyce asked stopping in the hall.

*I'm sorry, he didn't have time to, I wish I had better news for all of you, I really do, and sometimes I wish we could have saved them, but we all know we couldn't. I'm very sorry Joyce,* Blaze growled using a more normal volume, before continuing on to Melody's quarters.

"Well it appears that we are the ghosts here, perhaps we should report to our wives Raven," Wolf said with a grin at how Clare might react.

"No can do gentlemen, we can use you two to our advantage in this fight, no way we're going to let it get out that two of the tiger slayers have come back from the dead," Captain Herman said as she stood up to and blocked the path of the men.

"Captain, I'm sure you don't realize it, but you are addressing a pair of Colonels right now," Rudolph said standing next to the men. Raven looked slightly stunned but quickly adjusted his appearance to hide it.

"When did I get promoted above captain?" Raven whispered to Wolf.

"Probably just to make a point Raven, if not it was at the funeral, a hero's death and all," Wolf whispered back.

"Colonels, I apologize but I cannot allow you to leave this base unsupervised," Captain Herman said as she snapped to attention with a salute.

"Okay, so Melody and Nichalo go with us to make sure we stay out of trouble," Wolf said back to his usual self.

"Mr. President, I believe we should go along to escort these men to their families as well," Rudolph said getting a nod of approval from Rob.

"I guess we could all go, Rosso and Viola would be happy to fly cover," Michael said when he heard Blaze's footsteps in the hallway.

"Blaze and the others are ten feet from the door," the brown haired man said shortly before the door opened and Joyce led the Organoids into the quarters.

"Let's go home folks," Wolf said leading the way out of the room. The major portion of the group followed, Michael was about to follow them out when he felt Melody's hand on his arm.

"Michael, I missed him for all these years, and he's acting like he was gone for ten seconds," the black haired girl said quietly with a few tears in her eyes.

"I'm sure he missed you too, but you know how your father was, I mean is, never showing his emotions openly, I'm betting he's waiting till you all get home," Michael said before wrapping her in a protective hug.

"I'm sure he's just as happy to be back as we are to have them back," the grey eyed man said before leaning down and kissing Melody gently on the lips.

*So you two are coming right?* Mystic, the royal blue green eyed Organoid, asked from the door, acting as though she hadn't seen the kiss.

"Mystic, just how much did you see?" Michael asked without letting go of Melody.

*Nothing at all if you didn't want me to,* Mystic said before leaving the room and two red faced people behind.

The two left quietly hand in hand. _'We've been dating almost a month and neither of us wants to bring it to our families, how lame are we,' _Michael thought as they walked to the hanger. When they got there the others were all looking after their Zoids.

_'Those two are in love and just like her parents they're hiding it,' _Wolf thought looking towards his kid and Irvine's. "Hey Raven, check that out," the blue eyed man said pointing towards the Melody and Michael as they climbed into their Zoids.

"Love birds and they think they're hiding it, you know you and Clare didn't hide it as well as they are, you two were all over each other whenever you could be," Raven laughed as Wolf nearly fell out of his Zoid in shock.

Ten minutes later they were all on board the Whale King and on the way to the Wind Colony, Natalia had notified them they were bringing a Whale King and was told it would be better to land near the skirts of the village at the ruins and ride the Zoids into town. Melody and Nichalo had told their mothers to stay at home till they spoke with them, Clare and Reese had reluctantly agreed to this condition. Two days went by on the large Zoid with Wolf and Raven getting to know their kids again.

"We've both been helping to rebuild after storms or bandit attacks or whatever came up, we also spent time as mechanics working on whatever Zoids came our way," Raven said as he sat down on the couch in the Whale King's lounge.

"We spent most of the time in a small village as protectors, No one recognized us for the Tiger slayers and we took advantage of the peace and quiet and time seemed to fly by us, when we came back we got pegged for the slayers and got hit pretty hard, they used nerve gas on us but with the Organoids to fly us out of there we got away from them, and that's when you found us, the radios had been damaged in the fight so they couldn't talk to you," the lavender eyed man said quietly.

When they arrived at the ruins near the Wind Colony Wolf and Raven stayed on the Whale King until the others had a chance to speak with the men's wives.

"Dad, you and Raven go to the houses you call home now, mom and Reese are out with Rudolph and Rob, I was only following orders, me and Nichalo wanted to surprise Reese and mom," Melody said through the radio.

Raven and Wolf tore out of the hanger towards the village at a high speed, Blaze, Shadow and the other Organoids right on their Zoid's heels. When they got to the village out skirts they ditched the Zoids.

"Shadow, you and the others stay close to the Zoids, I don't want too much of a shock," Raven said as he exited the Geno Breaker and he and Wolf headed for their separate homes as instructed.

"Well since no one's home I'll just get a little something to drink," Wolf said to the empty house as he entered it. A few minutes later Melody and Clare could be heard shouting outside.

"I don't get it, Herman and Rudolph don't seem the kind to make something this big up as a joke," Clare said as she slammed through the door to the house.

"Mom, I'll keep saying it they didn't make it up," Melody shouted.

"THEN WHERE IS HE MELODY?" the blue haired woman screamed pain and sadness more evident than the anger she felt.

"Where is who?" Wolf whispered into Clare's ear just like on the scouting mission. Clare's eyes went wide and she swung a fist at her husband that he quickly stopped and grabbed the other hand before she could swing it.

"Clare, I'm really here, and I am not a ghost or some damn thing or another like that," Wolf said, his eyes and tone softer than normal. Clare relaxed as she realized that her husband was really standing there in front of her.

"Well I'll leave you two alone," Melody said quietly before turning to leave.

"Going to see your boyfriend?" the blue eyed man asked with a chuckle as his black haired daughter tripped over her own feet.

"What boyfriend?" Clare asked seeing her daughter's reaction.

"Well… I… umm… you see," Melody stammered.

"Our little Melody and Michael have been dating, my guess is for a month or more," Wolf said with a grin plastered on his face.

"Well, I guess we weren't hiding it as well as we thought," the blue eyed woman said scratching the back of her head.

"Better than your mother and me, if I hadn't known what to look for you would have slipped it past me and Raven both," Wolf said chuckling slightly at the panicked look on Melody's face.

"Uncle Raven knows? Oh man this is going to get out," Melody said running out of the house towards Michael's place.

"Michael, you and I need to have a word in private," the black haired woman said trying to catch her breath after flying through Michael and Moonbay's front door.

Michael kindly asked Sarah to leave the room so they could talk; she obeyed but only rounded the corner so she could listen in.

"Melody, what's got you in such a hurry?" the brown haired man asked as she sat down after catching her breath.

"Dad knows, and so does Uncle Raven," Melody said with a look in her eye that told him what they knew.

"Okay, we may be able to salvage the situation," Michael said as he sat next to her.

"Situation, you make this relationship seem like a mission," Melody nearly shouted.

"Sorry but my sister is behind that wall over there, I didn't think she should know about us," Michael said pointing to the top of Sarah's head poking out from behind the wall. Melody turned beet red and tried to shrink herself into the couch.

"It's okay you two, I've known for a while now, you guys are good at hiding it, but I'm a teenage girl, I know the signs of romance," Sarah said with a chuckle as she stepped from her hiding place.

The three of them spent the afternoon talking about pretty much everything. Moonbay walked to Clare's house to see what all of the racket was about. When she arrived she saw the large black and red Konig Wolf standing behind the house, so she looked in the direction of Reese's house to see the red Geno Breaker near their home.

"Why do I have a feeling I'm seeing ghosts?" Moonbay asked the empty space around her.

"Because we are ghosts," Wolf said from behind her. Moonbay jumped nearly ten feet in the air hearing a response to her question.

"Well I guess that proves we really are ghosts," Raven said when Moonbay turned around to face Wolf, causing her to jump ten feet up again. Wolf and Raven were both on the ground laughing their heads off when Moonbay finally realized they were actually there.

"Dad, you are so immature sometimes," Nichalo said watching Raven and Wolf, with Reese and Specular next to him.

Michael and Melody decided to take a walk around the village; they were about half way to the ruins in their Zoids when a distress call came over the radio.

"This is the Royal Whale King escorting Emperor Rudolph's wife Marian, we are under attack and need assistance," the officer piloting the Whale King shouted.

"DAD, RAVEN, WE NEED HELP NOW!" Melody screamed into the radio. The two of them ran full out till Wolf and Raven caught up and they found the attacking forces.

"Time to go to work folks," Raven said as he charged the main weapon of his Geno Breaker, the charged particle cannon.


	5. Chapter 5

Ch.5

After a minor skirmish with ground forces of some bandit group, and the air threat handled by Rosso and Viola, the group returned to the Wind Colony with a second Whale King to land at the ruins. When they arrived and Marian saw just who rescued her and her crew, she fainted. Wolf's quick reflexes allowed him to cover the short distance between them and catch her before she hit the ground.

"Well, I don't know what to say here, welcome back seems to work well enough ma'am" Wolf said sounding unusually formal towards her as she came out of her black out.

"Why are you being so formal? You never were before," Marian said kind of groggily.

"Figured I could try something new since last time you jumped down my throat for being informal around you," Wolf said with a slight chuckle.

Over the next two days everyone was happy to have at least two of the heroes of Zi back in their lives. Joyce and Daniel seemed a little distant from it all, but happy none the less, Polaris and Specular were happy to have the other Organoids back so they could all talk.

*Blaze, I know you hate it, but we can't bring back the dead, Zeke would have ejected but he was in such a state of rage that nothing would have stopped him,* Aurora growled quietly as they stood guard over the town.

*I know, but I can't help but think what it would have been like to have him back,* Blaze said as he stretched his arm around the orange Organoid.

The call of duty came up for the six current GF members when they were called for escort duty of a convoy into Imperial territory, and the Emperor and President returned to their respective capitals. Wolf and Raven stayed hidden in the Wind Colony with their wives.

"They should have come with us," Captain Herman said through the com link.

"You know they wouldn't have even if they had been ordered to," Michael said as they walked through the desert with a convoy of four Gustavs between them.

"My mother and father haven't seen each other in ten years and you expect them to want to split after two days, yeah right," Melody said voice loaded with sarcasm.

"Cut the chatter and keep your eyes open," Daniel said in a frustrated tone, he had grown tired of hearing how Raven and Wolf had come back from the dead, and how he and Joyce would never see their father or Zeke again.

He also had a nagging feeling that he couldn't shake, and it was telling him something was going to happen, and it would come very soon. After two days on the road the convoy drivers were getting bored with having nothing to do, so they had started singing a four part harmony between Gustavs. Natalia, Melody and Nichalo, didn't seem to mind this at all, Daniel just tuned it out.

Joyce was accompanying them in her new Zoid, a Daniel Novis Special Zaber Fang. A deep blue Zaber with beam Gatling unit plus Great Zaber weapons pack, and a BEEK AI unit to help control it all. It also had the reinforced joints and small boosters that would allow it to keep up with Melody's Blade Liger even with all the extra equipment. The paper work said this would be a testing run for the Zoid in real life situations, the group however knew it was just because Joyce wanted it bad enough to take it. Joyce was having the time of her life jumping around and testing the Zoids limits while nothing was going on.

Several blasts rocked the Zoids; the shots were aimed at their feet, not some where vital.

"You are ordered to halt, and turn yourselves and your Zoids over to the Judges," A voice rang through their radios.

"Uh huh, just what do you suppose our reaction to that demand should be Captain," Daniel asked his voice loaded with sarcasm.

"I think I should ask how many Zoids they have Lieutenant," Natalia responded with a short laugh.

"We have more Zoids then you do, that's what matters," the voice said.

"And what exactly are your names?" Joyce asked from her cockpit that was lit up with sensor readings from BEEK.

"Why would you want to know that?" the voice asked still very calm.

"Just wondering what to put on the headstones of the 18 Zoid pilots who are about to get slaughtered," Joyce said cold as ice as she let loose a volley of missiles, every one hitting the mark it was intended for thanks to BEEK.

"Get those Gustavs moving, you're getting the hell out of here, Melody, Michael and the rest of you cover them, Joyce and I will handle these guys," Daniel shouted as the Gustavs moved on.

Thirteen enemies went down in the first volley, Joyce and Daniel yanked the controls of their Zoids and started taking out the remaining five Zoids that hadn't been knocked out. Joyce knocked her two down very quickly, as did Daniel. The remaining Zoid, a White Stinger special Guysak, fled as quickly as its legs could carry it.

"Lieutenants, that will be enough, let him go we're already twenty miles ahead of you," Captain Herman said through the radio.

"We're on our way," Joyce said as she and Daniel turned their Zabers towards the convoy and leaped into a dead run.

They caught up very quickly and the convoy slowed to a walking pace for the larger Zoids. The rest of the trip was uneventful and they arrived at a base near the capital city of Guygalos, and watched as two Stealth Storm Sworders were unloaded from the front two Gustavs, as well as two Dibisons from the other two transporters.

"We could have used a Whale King for this run," Daniel said casually not realizing Captain Herman was right behind him.

"Yes, but the intention of this convoy was to deliver four Zoids why waste a Whale King when six Zoids like ours can cover it?" she asked making Daniel jump just a little before regaining his composure.

"Because a Whale King would be harder to hit from the ground," the blonde man said with a hint of frustration in his tone and his red eyes showing the same emotion.

"We have two days here, rest up before we spend a week on the road headed back to Red River," Natalia said before walking away from the group.

_'I wonder why she acts the way she does, it's getting harder to tell if she even cares about any of us,' _Nichalo thought watching her walk away.

The group separated for the night heading to their room's quarters in the barracks halls. Most of the rooms were next door to each other, Daniel and Natalia had a little further to walk before arriving at their rooms.

"Natalia, we're off duty right now, so what is it that's got you so uptight lately?" Daniel asked sounding genuinely concerned for her.

"Nothing is bothering me," Natalia said opening her door. Daniel stopped her before she could get through it.

"I know what you're thinking, you can't trust me to keep a lid on what's bothering someone else, or you think I can't help with it so why bother me with it, honestly I don't care what you think of me, I just want to know so if it affects your duties I can pick up the slack for you," the blonde man said with nothing but honesty and concern in his voice.

"Look it has nothing to do with your friends parents, it's more about mine," Natalia said breaking his hold on her arm and going through the door and shutting it in the man's face.

"Well that was new," Daniel said entering his room.

The next day Michael and Melody spent the day tuning the Zoids with Nichalo and Joyce. Daniel spent his day trying to get Natalia to feel comfortable enough with him to let him in on what was wrong in her mind.

"Natalia, have dinner with me tonight," Daniel said sounding casual as ever while they walked the halls of the base.

"And why should I do that Lieutenant Flyheight," the blonde woman asked stopping in the hall.

"I don't know, might be fun though, you never know till you try," the red eyed man responded with a grin plastered across his face.

"Alright, we can go to the cafeteria or something," Natalia replied with a half military tone.

"Uh no, I was thinking real food, be at my quarters before eight o'clock tonight I've got reservations at a nice little place just outside the base," Daniel said walking away, leaving a rather shocked Captain Natalia Herman standing in the middle of the hall.

_'Did he know I would say yes or was he going to go without me if I said no?' _Natalia asked herself before turning towards the base command center and shaking the thought from her mind.

Michael and Melody spent a while together in her quarters watching a movie, ending the night with a few minutes of very passionate kissing.

"Why can't we just get this out in the open?" Melody asked before Michael could get out the door.

He turned back to see her standing there, looking at the floor one hand holding the other arm, and he couldn't resist stepping back and looking at her for a second before saying anything, her black hair draping over her shoulders, her bright blue eyes seemed to be shining in the dim light.

"Look, you know how the GF reacted to your parents but they didn't react so well with mine, I just don't want to take the chance of losing you to rules and regulations is all," Michael said placing both hands on either of Melody's shoulders.

"The only reason they reacted that way was because your dad was declared dead for two weeks before they got married," Melody said chuckling a little.

"How about we start with Daniel and the others first, your folks already know, I have a feeling mom already knows too, Sarah's got a big mouth," Michael said wrapping her in a hug which she returned.

"Okay, can we tell them tomorrow? I hate hiding it from them," Melody asked as she buried her face in his chest.

"Yeah, we'll tell them after we're on the road so we can watch Natalia crash that Zoid of hers," Michael laughed out.

Meanwhile at a nice little place just outside the base, Daniel and Natalia walked into a small restaurant to have dinner. The waitress lead them to their table and took their drink orders, they spent the time it took to get their drinks in silence. After they had ordered their food Daniel was getting a little impatient in the silence.

"So, what's been on your mind lately?" the red eyed man asked leaning back in the chair and crossing his arms.

"You went to all this trouble to get that out of me?" Natalia asked in a disbelieving tone.

"Look, I know something is on your mind, it's as obvious to me as the paint on the walls in this place…which is a nice color now that I look at it," Daniel said trying for a laugh. He got the laugh he wanted, and waited for her to open up.

"Look it really isn't your problem, if you really want to know ask me after it's figured itself out," Natalia said with a look that said to drop the subject.

"Pop goes the cork," Daniel muttered under his breath.

"What was that?" Natalia asked hearing only the mumbling.

"Something my Aunt Moonbay used to say about Uncle Wolf, 'he's bottled up so tight you could pop his cork like a Champagne bottle,'" Daniel said with a slight chuckle, "I think that applies to you as well as me, sometimes we let our emotions get the better of us, and others we shove them to the back of our mind and hope they go away."

They spent the rest of the night discussing Natalia's little problems and how Daniel could help her. They arrived back at the base around midnight and went their separate ways at the doors to their rooms.

"I had a good time tonight Daniel, I feel a little better knowing that someone else knows and is willing to help me, thanks," Natalia said before walking into her quarters and got cleaned up and read for a while before going to sleep. Daniel simply entered his room threw himself on the bed and fell fast asleep within ten minutes.

They gathered their Zoids at the bases main entrance before leaving the base and the people outside in a cloud of dust as they raced towards their home base. For the first few hours they moved fast as they Zoids would carry them, Michael and Melody were leading the way with Nichalo right on their heels. Melody decided it would be a good time to tell them so she slowed to a fast walking pace.

"Guys, Michael and I have something to tell you," the blue eyed woman said through the open link.

"You've officially got our attention then," Daniel said followed by noises of agreement.

"We've been dating for over a month now," Michael said proudly as they jogged through the desert.

The couple heard a series of crashes and metal twisting that made them turn around. They saw Daniel's Great Zaber buried beneath the Psycho Genosaurer and Joyce's Great Zaber, and Natalia's flame red Shield Liger's mouth was hanging open, probably mimicking its pilot's face. Neither of them could help but laugh for a minute before helping get the three Zoids untangled from each other.

"Okay, that's the last time we give them news like that while we're moving," Michael said with a chuckle. None of the Zoids were damaged, just a few minor scratches in the paint, so they continued on the path back to Red River.

Two days into the trip back they came upon the area where the group attacked them. BEEK was going out of its mind on Joyce's screen, the count was 30 Zoids, and they were closing on them very fast.

"Everyone switch to thermals, it's the button on the bottom left of your right side control panels, I'm making us some cover," Joyce said just before launching a few smoke grenades into the air.

Everyone just kept plowing through unseen by enemy forces; Daniel made it a game to see how close he could get to a Zoid before blowing passed it without it noticing. When they cleared the area they hadn't fired a single shot and they hadn't been hit once.

"Daniel, next time you want to do that, make sure you take bets on how close you can get, I swear I saw you step on a Guysak's foot back there," Michael said laughing.

"I did, I still think he missed it, they weren't moving much in that smoke," Daniel said before howling in laughter.

"That's enough you two, Joyce good job on the cover, would you mind explaining to me just how these Zoids got thermal imaging in them," Natalia asked as they continued running.

"Uncle Wolf modified Melody's Blade Liger for night vision almost twenty years ago, just had to do some rewiring and now she has pretty much the same capabilities as a Konig Wolf's goggles in her cockpit glass. Using the same principal I made it work in these Zoids," Joyce said, she spent the rest of the trip explaining to them how to switch to the different modes.

When they arrived back at Red River, Joyce removed the black box from her Novis Special Great Zaber and turned it over to the research people before they signed the paper work to make the Zaber her permanent Zoid. Michael moved his quarters next to Melody's, Daniel moved to the quarters next to Natalia's leaving Joyce in their parent's quarters alone, and Nichalo half way across the base form the rest of them, not that he minded that at all.

"Hey Daniel, didn't our dad's have a poker game going while they were here?" Michael asked as they walked the halls of the base.

"Yeah they did, Raven only got to play once before Uncle Daniel died and it was discontinued," the blonde man said stopping in the hall.

"Think Nichalo would be interested in starting one up, just the three of us?" the grey eyed man asked looking to the ceiling before turning around to face Daniel before taking off his eye patch and scratching his eye.

"I could certainly get in to taking your money, wait where would we have it? Melody has the poker table in her quarters," Daniel asked shifting his gaze to the floor thinking.

"Why not Nichalo's quarters, he is halfway across the base from us, and he has the space," Michael said turning and walking in the direction of Nichalo's quarters.

"Mike, that would mean he would have to agree to play in the game," Daniel said forgetting how much his friend hated the shortened version of his name.

"Daniel, I'm sure he'd play, and I'll let the fact you just called me Mike slide since I'm in a good mood today," Michael said before turning and continuing on after putting his eye patch back on.

When they arrived at Nichalo's quarters and explained what they had in mind, he immediately agreed to host the game as well as play in it.

"So when's the first game?" Daniel asked while they lounged about.

"Why not tonight, I've got the chips and cards in my quarter's I'll just bring them with me tonight about nine o'clock," Michael said looking to them for an answer that was interrupted by a knock on the door. Melody stood on the other side tears pouring down her face; she immediately threw herself into Nichalo's arms and balled her eyes out.

"Melody, what's happened?" Michael asked taking her from Nichalo's care.

"Grandma Julie died this afternoon," the black haired woman said through sobs and a few coughs.

"Gents, looks like the game is on hold till we come back," Michael said as he carried Melody out of the room heading towards the hanger.

"We'll get Natalia to put you two on leave, get going as soon as you're ready," Nichalo said before running towards the control room with Daniel on his heels.

When Michael and Melody arrived in the hanger the black haired woman was still crying her eyes out, but managed to get into the back seat of the Blade Liger with a little help from Michael who got in the pilots seat and launched the Liger into a dead run out of the hanger.

"Michael, Natalia has placed you and Melody on leave for two weeks so fly ass, and send our regards," Daniel said through the radio as they left the base in a dust trail.

When they arrived at Fire Colony just over three days later, they saw Moonbay's Gustav and the famous Konig Wolf on the outskirts of town. Michael parked the Blade Liger next to the Gustav and helped Melody out of the cockpit, and met up with Wolf and Clare in town.

"I'm glad you two could make it, where are the others?" Wolf asked when they got to his childhood home.

"Sadly the others aren't going to make it, if Daniel and Nichalo hadn't gotten permission for the two of us to leave we'd be AWOL right now," Michael answered honestly, "Why is mom here?"

"She went and got Samantha for us," Clare responded while hugging her daughter.

Wolf signaled Michael to follow him, when they got out of ear shot Wolf stopped almost causing Michael to run into him. "How did Melody take it?" he asked quietly.

"Pretty rough, she's been quiet ever since we left, she jumped into the first pair of arms that opened the door when she got to Nichalo's quarters after getting the news," Michael answered in the same quiet tone.

"Michael, I'll be honest with you, I've never been all that good at predicting woman's emotions, so I think today would be a good time to watch each other's backs here, Clare and Melody were both very close to my mother," Wolf said with all honesty in his voice.

"Mr. Novis, if anyone could predict the emotions of a woman they could make a killing selling the method to men like us," Michael laughed.

"Why not Uncle Wolf, like normal?" Wolf asked as they headed back to the ladies.

"Because I'm dating your daughter and it sounded a little weird in my head," Michael said with a chuckle.

The funeral was more a celebration of the life Julie Novis lived then a somber event. Clare and Melody told stories and so did most of the town. Moonbay even told a few about while Julie and Samantha were staying in the Emperor's quarters at Red River base. Two days went by in no time at all and Clare and Melody both seemed to be adjusting to not having Julie to talk to. Samantha spent most of the time watching the festivities feeling that she had never had the time to be a part of the family.

"Samantha Novis, what are you doing standing in a corner?" Wolf asked deliberately reminding her of her short lived marriage to his little brother.

"Wolf, you seem to be taking this in a pretty good way," Samantha said dodging the question.

"Mom was getting up there in years, not to mention the health problems she was having, so I say she's in a better place where she can actually breathe without coughing up a lung," Wolf said calmly while looking to the sky.

"Well, you're probably right, and you know why I'm in this corner of mine," Samantha said faking annoyance with her brother in law.

"Samantha, you're just as much a part of this family as Van and Irvine were, Mom always did say they were her kids, and she said the same of you even before you and Daniel got married," Wolf said laughing.


	6. Chapter 6

Ch. 6

Melody and Michael reported back to Red River base with two days left on their leave, so they spent it in the hanger working on Michael's Power Reinforced Command Wolf. By the time they finished with it, they had increased the overall speed of the Zoid by ten percent just by changing out the old worn out joints for new reinforced ones. They also painted it to match his father's Command Wolf, black with red shoulder and hip armor.

"Your dad would have loved this," Melody said leaning on Michael's shoulder.

"I'm sure he would have, probably would want a turn at her controls too," Michael laughed.

As they stood admiring two days work they heard a cannon fire off, then they felt the ground shake. Alarms blared and lights started flashing and the two jumped into their Zoids and headed out of the hanger. When they got to the direction the fire was coming from they saw a pair of Zoids, a black Rev Raptor and a white Stinger Special Guysak.

"Base, this is Lieutenant Novis, it's only two Zoids out here, search the base for a breach, we'll handle these two," Melody said while punching the controls of her Blade Liger forward.

The two Zoids went down fast and easy, the Rev Raptor fell to the Blade Liger, while the Guysak fell from being shelled by the Command Wolf.

"That was simply, lame," Melody said before noticing a badge on the Guysak right behind the cockpit, one matching the logo the Judges used.

"Hey, Michael get over here a sec, and get a salvage team for these two Zoids," Melody said as she jumped out of the cockpit to the ground. She jumped on the Guysak and pushed the emergency open on the outside of the canopy.

"We've got sleepers here," She said when she heard Michael walking up behind her. She heard something still beeping in the computer, but didn't want to take the chance. "Sweetie, run this one's rigged to blow," She shouted and she jumped off the Zoid and got back into the Blade Liger and hauled tail away from it.

Two seconds after they reached the main gate the two sleepers exploded leaving a crater in the ground the size of a Gojulas.

"Why am I not actually surprised by this turn of events?" Daniel asked as the pair came back into the hanger.

No one answered his question before they left the hanger, no breach anywhere in the base just two sleepers to remind them the Judges were still out there.

"Why do they remind the military they're out there like that, its kind of stupid if you ask me," Melody said in the briefing room.

"It may be stupid, but it's more taunting then reminding," Captain Herman said as she came into the room, "They're saying they're out there but we can't catch them, since last month these guys have killed seventeen people, using any form of execution you can think of, hanging, shooting, torture, you name it they've done it to both human and Zoid."

"Have we got anything on where they might be or who for that matter?" Daniel asked leaning forward in his chair.

"All we know is the names the leaders use, The Judge, The Jury, The Executioner, and The Boss. We don't know who these men are or what they might look like, apparently they were masks over their faces," Natalia said placing her elbows on the edge of the table and her chin on her hands.

"Well we know what Zoids to look for in the leaders from when they personally attacked the Wind Colony three months ago," Melody said before standing up.

"I think that Daniel and I should head back to that spot where we spotted that mass group of Zoids," Joyce said leaning back in her chair.

"If you go, I go," Michael said before anyone could stop him.

"Captain, the three of us can handle that many Zoids, plus with the smoke cover we might be able to get a head count on exactly how many are human and how many are sleepers," Daniel said not looking anywhere near as stunned as the rest of them.

"Okay, if you think you can handle it, go after them and try not to get caught," Natalia said noticing the disapproving look Melody was giving her and Michael.

As soon as the group disbanded from the briefing room, Melody was quietly walking next to Michael headed for the hanger to see them off.

"Melody, I'm just going because I want to keep Daniel from doing something stupid like stepping on a Guysak's foot again," Michael said with a chuckle. Seeing her nod slowly did nothing for his resolve of leaving her at the base though. "Look, I'll come back as fast as I can, and you and I will get a couple two day passes and spend the weekend together," he said in a soft comforting tone.

Melody couldn't take it anymore; she jumped into his arms and cried into his chest, something he didn't quite understand.

"Michael, I just keep thinking of Uncle Daniel and Aunt Samantha, and how he came back so beat up," Melody sobbed out.

"Honey, I was trained by your father and three of the greatest pilots Zi ever saw, I think we can handle it," Michael said finally returning the hug Melody had wrapped him in.

The two days out to the spot went by very quickly for everyone on the base, the three days after that not so much. When the group finally broke radio silence it was to tell them they were at the front gates of Dragon head base, and they had a sustained major damage to Joyce's Great Zaber. Melody and Nichalo almost tore through the hanger doors trying to get out, with Natalia close behind them.

"We don't stop till we get there," Natalia said only to get a grunt from Nichalo in return. Melody was quiet the whole trip over to Dragon Head base.

_'I hope Joyce is okay,' _Nichalo thought as the guided the Zoids into the hanger of the base where they saw a badly mangled Great Zaber.

"Follow me, I've been here before," Melody spoke as she guided them towards the medical center.

"Captain Herman, where are you going?" a voice called from behind them, it wasn't a voice any of them knew.

"To see one of my officers," Natalia replied with an icy tone.

"Sorry, no can do, you need to check in with the base commander," the officer said.

"Look you two head on, I'll have someone get me there," Natalia said before walking towards the command center with the officer.

"They have to come too," the officer said.

"Officer, your choice is that you can take only me or take none of us at all, your base commander can wait for me to check on my officer first," Natalia said turning to follow her officers.

"Fine, Captain you need to come, they can go on," A new voice called. Natalia followed the officers while Melody and Nichalo continued on to the medical center.

When Nichalo and Melody got to the medical bay they got a shock that nearly killed both of them. Instead of Joyce lying on the bed in the room, it was Michael and he was bandaged from head to toe and unconscious.

"Melody come with me, Nichalo stay with Joyce," Daniel said in a soft tone gesturing to the sleeping Joyce.

Nichalo nodded as he crossed the room and sat in an open chair, Daniel led Melody out of the room with one arm around her shoulder and one holding her hand. When Natalia arrived at the medical center every bit of paper work for all six people from her group had been handled, and she found Daniel holding Melody, who appeared to be crying.

"What's going on?" Natalia asked as she walked up.

"Michael was piloting the Zaber not Joyce, we got ambushed through the smoke screen, most of it missed but something lead them right to the damn thing," Daniel said quietly not letting go of Melody.

When Melody finally collected herself enough, they walked back to the room where Joyce and Nichalo were talking about what had happened. Melody stayed at Michael's bed side two or three hours, having a nurse bring her food when dinner time came around, and the others worked on having a medical Gustav brought in so they could move him back to the Red River Base.

Somewhere around midnight, Melody sat in the chair trying not to fall asleep when she heard the sheets move, and Michael's voice grumbling at her.

"Well hell I guess history repeats itself huh," Michael said just above a whisper.

"Yeah, but this time I get to keep the hero," Melody whispered back before kissing him gently on the lips.

"Well, I guess it's time we got out of here, how's Joyce's Zaber?" Michael asked sitting up and putting his feet on the floor.

"The Zoid got roughed up pretty good, but it should be fixed in two or three days," Melody responded stopping him from getting completely out of the bed.

"Okay so you and I are going to make that two or three days turn into six hours, let's go," Michael said forcing himself up and off the bed.

The pain in his face quickly disappeared as his body and mind adjusted; Melody retrieved his clothing and helped him with his shirt. The doctors protested him being out of bed, even more so when Melody told them he would be helping with Zoid repairs in the hanger, and that she would keep an eye on him, by the time they arrived in the hanger Michael's body had completely adjusted to the pain he felt, and he had tuned his mind out, completely ignoring all of it.

"Let's get to work," the brown haired man said looking at the mangled Zoid in front of him.

Melody did most of the heavy lifting with Nichalo's help while Michael worked the crane lifting the new armor pieces into place. After six hours of work, just as Michael had predicted, they had finished repairs to the Novis Special Zaber Fang. Michael relaxed enough to remember just how much pain he should have been in, and nearly fell to the floor when the wave of pain came over him. Melody saw this and rushed to his side and carried him to the quarters that were left reserved for her, but went unused till then.

"I'm fine really, just caught me off guard is all," Michael said through gritted teeth as he lay back in the bed.

"Fine my hide, you need to rest, we'll leave in four hours," Melody said before turning to leave.

"Could you stay with me?" Michael asked before she could close the door behind her.

"Yeah sure," the black haired woman said coming back through the door.

Four hours later they hauled out and headed for Red River, with no medical Gustav, and Michael behind the controls of his black and red Power Reinforced Command Wolf. They arrived at the base only to find out Natalia and Daniel had been assigned guard duty for the President again while Joyce would be spending her time on the testing courses apparently testing new weaponry for the Command Wolf's long range line. Melody was assigned guard duty for the Emperor while he was on base. Michael was placed on medical leave for two weeks, much to his disdain.

"Your highness may I ask why Red River base?" Melody asked as she showed the way to the new Emperor's suite.

"It's been a while since I paid a visit to this area, and Marian was getting impatient, she loves the quarters at this base," Rudolph replied with a chuckle at his wife's face.

"Do you know who built the new suite for you and your wife, Your Highness?" Melody asked genuinely curious to find out who it was.

"No, they tell me it will be a surprise for me and Marian though," Rudolph responded honestly as they arrived at the doors to the suite.

The doors alone looked to have cost a fortune to have made, intricate patterns hand carved into the wood and solid brass doorknobs. Melody hesitated for a moment before opening the doors. What they saw surprised all of them.

A hand carved and very large desk was sitting against one wall with an almost throne sized high back wing chair sitting in front of it and a huge window behind it that offered a view of the natural rock formations nearby. The room itself was the size of four standard quarters and this didn't include the bedroom or the bathroom. The walls were covered with simple, but elegant wallpaper in a pale yellow that matched the pattern and color on most of the furniture in the room.

"Wow, this has my dad's name all over it," Melody said with a full hearted laugh.

"It certainly does, your father always did know what I liked," Marian said not noticing the fact Rudolph was looking just as impressed as she was with the room.

They all continued to explore the large living area, finding a large TV hidden away in a large armoire that was just as intricately patterned as the desk and doors and admiring the high ceilings that the chandelier hung from.

"My only question is how on Zi did he make all this so fast?" Rudolph asked still looking rather impressed with everything around him.

"Most of it was in storage from before I retired, but the couch and bed are a little newer," Wolf said leaning against the door way.

Rudolph greeted the man in proper form before walking over to him and shaking his hand. They spent most of the afternoon talking about what Wolf had done to the quarters and just how he got permission from base commander Captain Natalia Herman to do this. The old Emperor's suit would be used for flag officers when they were on base.

Meanwhile Michael was bored off his mind sitting around his room so he left and headed for the new Emperor's suite to find out what all of the ruckus was about. When he arrived he was stunned by the large wooden French doors.

"Okay this is impressive," the brown haired man said entering the room after being granted permission.

He noticed that Wolf and Melody were still there talking about design aspects like the crown molding and the large chandelier that lit the whole room. He sat down next to Melody, who proceeded to lean into him as if it were the most natural thing in the world. He didn't even fully realize it till after the fact that he had wrapped his arm around her shoulders holding her there.

"Why don't we continue the tour Wolf, we haven't even seen the bathroom or the bedroom yet," Marian said making Melody and Michael turn red at the look she was giving Rudolph.

Wolf simply ignored it and lead them all to the bedroom, which featured the same wallpaper pattern in a pale blue, and a king sized bed sitting on the opposite wall, from the entrance. The beds headboard, foot board and nightstands all featured matching patterns carved into the wood.

The large dresser placed in the corner seeming a little plain compared to the rest of the furniture in the room, Wolf explained the one that would replace it wasn't stained yet and would be done in a week or two. The entire room was lit by two matching chandeliers, one over the entry way and one in the opposite corner of the room, with different levels and all kinds of crystal hanging off them.

In the bathroom they found a Jacuzzi tub, with tile floor and walls in the glass stall shower. This room was lit with a chandelier that matched the two in the bedroom on a smaller scale, and several other less noticeable fixtures in the room, as well as several lights over the mirror in the corner and in floor lighting by the tub. The rest of the day flew by for Michael and Melody and pretty much everyone else on the base_._


	7. Chapter 7

Ch. 7

At New Helic city Natalia and Daniel stood guard at President Herman's door.

"So, when exactly are you going to ask me for my help Natalia?" Daniel asked finally tiring of the silence between them.

"Why not right now?" The blonde woman asked turning and walking through the door of the Presidential office, leaving a stunned Daniel standing at the door. He made a quick recovery before stepping through the door behind Natalia.

"Dad, you, me and mom need to talk," Natalia said placing her hands on the desk in the center of the room.

"Okay, and Daniel needs to be here why?" Rob asked pointing at the man behind his daughter.

"Cause it has to do with the thing you and mother bring up every chance you get," Natalia said, Rob looked passed his daughter to Daniel to see him still standing there calm as ever.

"Alright, tonight at home, now really isn't the time," Herman said as he went back to work.

The rest of the day flew by, and the Herman family sat around the table in the capital building, Daniel stood behind Natalia's chair.

"Okay, so what's this all about Natalia," Herman's wife asked.

"Mom, dad you two keep bugging me about finding a man," Natalia said just short of shouting volume.

"Yes, because we think it's not healthy to be a career soldier and have no one to come back for," Rob said quietly as he took his wife's hand.

"Well, you've got your wish, Daniel and I have decided to start dating," Natalia said as Daniel placed a hand on her shoulder, she placed her hand over his. Daniel was surprised at how easy it was for him to lie about being in love with Natalia as they spoke for the rest of the evening.

"Daniel, thank you," Natalia said as they were getting ready to turn in for the night.

"I do have a price for this you know, and that's you actually go on a date with me," Daniel smirked at her initial reaction, a shocked and stunned face followed by an agreeing nod that took him by surprise.

"Wait, you'll actually go on a date with me, as much as you love poking at my informality," the red eyed man said with a shocked tone.

"Well, I figure I owe you that much for helping me out, besides after tonight I feel like kissing you anyway," Natalia replied blushing at what she had just said.

"So why don't you, your parents are right around the corner," Daniel whispered when he heard something slide across the wall. Natalia wrapped her arms around his neck, and pulled herself up to him and gently pressed her lips to his. She didn't resist like she thought she would have when Daniel deepened the kiss.

When they came up for air Natalia looked to the end of the hall and saw her parents standing there with a grin plastered on both their faces. They both turned red and went to their separate rooms. _'And I thought Michael was the one with super senses,' _Natalia thought as she lay down on her bed.

"Rob, why did you warn Daniel we were here," Natalia's mother asked.

"I just wanted to give those two a real reason to find out they actually like each other," Rob said with a slight chuckle as they walked to their bed room.

Daniel sat in his room thinking about what had just happened in the hall, he had basically gotten Rob Herman's approval to date his daughter, and they had their first kiss as a non official couple. They spent the next few days setting up a day off so they could go on their first real date after they returned to the Red River base. After two weeks on guard duty Emperor Rudolph returned to the Imperial capital, while Natalia and Daniel made the return trip to Red River base.

Two months went by of absolutely nothing to do for anyone. Michael and Melody spent some time replacing the joints in the Blade Liger along with some other bits and pieces that were wearing out, Joyce spent her time on the testing courses improving her piloting skills while Nichalo helped her in any way he could. Daniel and Natalia managed to go out on a few dates with each other, and openly spoke of their relationship off duty but on duty there were no breaks for either of them.

"Natalia, why don't we just stay in tonight?" Daniel asked as they walked down the halls of the base.

"Yeah, I'm wiped out too," Natalia said just before alarms started blaring and building shook. Daniel grabbed Natalia before a beam came down behind them.

"Looks like our night in just got canceled" Daniel said as they flew down the halls towards the control room.

About half way to their destination they met up with Michael and Melody, Daniel went to the hanger with them as Natalia continued on to the control room to see what was going on.

Five Zoids were attacking Red River base, and five more attacking Dragon Head base.

"Take those Zoids out," Natalia shouted through the radio. A Rev Raptor broke through the four Zoid line and was headed into the bases defensive lines and somehow getting passed quite a bit of them without being hit at all.

"Damn it guys, GET THAT REV RAPTOR," Natalia shouted through the radios. Michael, Daniel, Nichalo, and Melody heard a blast behind them then static over their radios.

"NATALIA, GET OUT OF THERE!" Daniel screamed realizing the Rev Raptor had breached the defenses and self destructed. He turned his Great Zaber around and ran back to the base seeing bits of the Rev Raptor all around where the control room had once stood.

"NATALIA, ARE YOU ALRIGHT!?" Daniel screamed through the external speakers of the blue and white Great Zaber, he received no answer.

He started digging slowly and carefully uncovering everyone but the woman he wanted to, Daniel was so concentrated on finding her that he didn't even notice the tears that were filling his eyes. When the others finished dealing with the raiding Zoids they headed over and started digging as well.

Twenty minutes later they found the person they were all looking for, and she was badly hurt. Natalia's left leg was bent in a most unnatural angle, and it appeared her left foot was completely severed by some debris that had fallen. Her left arm was laid across her stomach and appeared to be the only thing not broken; it looked like her right hand was twisted pretty badly.

"Oh god," Melody said with a gasp.

Daniel said nothing while he picked her up and carried her limp body to the medical center. After a few minutes of searching through the rest of the debris, Melody broke down and cried into her hands. Michael came to her and comforted her as best he could, while Nichalo did the same for Joyce who had broken down just a minute before.

"Doc, you've got to tell me how she is, so I can inform her parents," Daniel said in a slightly panicked tone.

"Lieutenant, I can't say how she is, right now she is stable, her leg was a clean break so it won't need surgery to fix, and her foot," The doc paused to inhale, causing a very uncomfortable silence, "Her foot was completely severed, and we are going to make a fitted prosthesis for her, but until she wakes up I can't say anymore," He finished trying to sound calm.

"Okay, I'll go inform her parents," Daniel said in a sullen tone.

"I'll handle her parents, I've known them longer then you have," The doctor said turning to leave before Daniel stopped him.

"I made a promise to them, I'll tell them" Daniel said not giving the doctor a chance to respond before leaving.

"Attention Red River Base, we have kidnapped Emperor Rudolph and his wife, his trial will begin in twelve hours," rang through the entire base. Using a back up communications system the person left in charge found out that the Dragon Head Base had received the same message.

"Melody, we need to go," Michael said as Melody stood up and headed back for her Zoid. Michael, Nichalo, Joyce and Melody headed to the area where they found the Judges before. They made it there in eight hours, and Imperial team was already waiting for them, a group of five Iron Kong Mk IIs and one Schubaltz Special Iron Kong.

"Okay who's in command of your unit," a voice came through their radios.

"No one at the moment, our captain was hurt in the attack on red river," Melody said to the pilot of the Iron Kong in front of them.

"I'm Captain Tiffany Schubaltz, who gave your order to Mobilize?" she asked cautiously.

"We did, as I said Captain Natalia Herman was hurt in the attack on Red River, we came here as friends of the Emperor," the black haired woman responded starting to become annoyed.

After a few minutes of chatting about what to do the ten Zoids mobilized to look for the group.

"Man I wish Mystic was here," Melody said as she combed the desert.

*Your father sent me, I hope that's good enough,* Mystic's very unique growl came through the Radio.

"Mystic, you are free to fuse at any time," Melody said with a chuckle. Instantly the screen image sharpened, hidden sensor readings came to view and the radars range nearly doubled in distance.

"I should keep you around, for search and rescue," Melody said with a slight chuckle.

*I'm here till you tell me to go,* Mystic growled from the core. Nearly two and a half hours of searching no one had come up with anything.

"Okay, we only have two hours left, I'm contacting Red River to see if any new information has come in," Michael said being the closest to the base.

"I'll do the same for Dragon Head, maybe we can have an easier time with what you've told us," Captain Schubaltz said turning her Iron Kong to get within radio range of the base.

"We meet back in thirty minutes," Melody said getting different forms of agreement in return.

After thirty minutes more, Michael and Captain Schubaltz had returned from their information runs.

"We received a message telling the people on base to tune the visual radios to a specific frequency, maybe the land marks would give us a clue as to how to find them," Michael said tuning his video link to the frequency, the others following his lead.

What they saw on the screen was Rudolph and Marian standing in an open mine shaft with a lot of explosives behind them, and ropes binding them both to the explosives, a small clock on the bottom of the screen indicated just how long they had before the 'trial' was to begin.

"Only an hour left, and that's the mine shaft is two days from here," Captain Schubaltz said with a saddened tone.

"Not if it's me and Melody doing the piloting," Joyce said sounding prouder than ever.

"Joyce, let's go we need to at least get there before the trial ends… punch it," Melody shouted as they took off in the direction of the mine.

An hour later the clock disappeared, and a voice rang out.

"This is the trail of Rudolph Zeppelin the third and his wife Marian, he is charged with the ill running of the Empire, and conspiracy to fraternize with his enemies, and I am the Judge and will now take testimony," the voice said.

"Melody, we need to hurry," Joyce said pushing the controls of her Zaber that much harder.

"Punch it to full power, Mystic can you increase her speed at all?" the black haired woman at the controls of the Blade Liger asked the Organoid currently wrapped around the core of her Zoid.

*No, Sensors are my thing,* Mystic growled.

"The Emperor has before fraternized with the Republic, before the war ended he was often seen in situations with the Republican Officer Van Flyheight, and the Imperial officer Thomas Richard Schubaltz after the war ended, he is also charged with assault on his own troops during Prozen's reign," a voice that Melody somehow recognized.

"We're still a half hour away. Where are Rosso and Viola?" Joyce shouted in frustration just before being lifted off the ground by Rosso's Storm Sworder Stealth edition. Melody was picked up by Viola.

"Marian has allowed these crimes to be committed, therefore she shall be punished as well," the Judges voice came through the radio.

When they arrived on scene they only had four opponents. Two white Great Zabers and Two black Konig Wolves.

"Those four are the leaders, they attacked the Wind Colony," Melody said as Viola let her Blade Liger go, Rosso matching the maneuver with Joyce and her Zaber Fang, "This trial is on hold permanently," the black haired woman screamed through the com link.

"This trail is under the proceedings of the Judge, no one will interrupt," a man said, he sounded strangely familiar to them both.

"Tell me who you are and I'll take you on," Melody shouted.

"I am the Executioner," the voice responded as one of the Konigs howled and charged into the field.

"Rosso, Viola see if you two can't find a back way into those mines," Melody shouted charging into the battle head held high.

Joyce was dealing with a person in one of the Great Zabers who called himself 'the Jury', and handling him quiet well from a distance. Melody was in close range combat with the Konig Wolf, she was pounding the cockpit of the enemy with her claws, until he got the upper hand and flipped the Blade Liger off of it.

Joyce fired two rounds to help Melody out by getting the Konig off of her. Rosso and Viola had found a back entrance into the mine and were heading towards the spot where Rudolph and Marian were being held with all those explosives, when they arrived at the location, they cut the Royals loose and got them out after planting a detonator of their own on the explosives.

Outside the mines the Judge was sitting calmly in his cockpit watching the fight in front of himself and the Zoid next to him.

"Well Boss it would seem, the Jury and Executioner are having a hard time keeping these officers at bay. Shall we blow those explosives while we have the time?" Judge asked calmly. He received a simple grunt in agreement.

"YOU'VE LOST THIS TIME!" the masked man screamed out as he pushed the button for the detonator.

"Seems you forgot about the air threat that dropped those two," Rosso laughed as he threw their detonator out of the cockpit. The two Zoids that were fighting retreated to the one place they thought was safe, the mine.

"Jury, Executioner, get out of there," Judge screamed as Rosso pushed the button on his detonator collapsing the mine around the two inside, and burring the two outside in dust and rubble.

"Well that's two leaders down, let's get the hell out of here," Melody shouted just before feeling a bullet graze the back of her Blade Liger, making her freeze.

"You go nowhere till I'm done with you," the Judge's voice rang through her radio, it was loaded with anger.

"Joyce run, I'll cover you," Melody shouted as she yanked the controls and wailed the front right claw across the jaw of the black Konig Wolf in front of her as Joyce escaped the other white Great Zaber completely ignoring her.

The impact threw the Zoid a good ten meters; it landed on its side. Quickly righting the Zoid the Judge attacked with the claws of his Zoid.

"That won't do a damn thing for you," Melody smirked as she ducked under the attack and jumped the Blade Liger to make contact with the Konig's main body sending it flying way too far off course to land properly. The Konig landed back first to the ground and tumbled a little more coming to rest on its side.

"Boss, my command system is frozen, you may let her go. A fine maneuver young lady, but it won't work twice," the Judge said as Melody ran from the battlefield.

When Melody arrived at Dragon Head base, Rosso, Viola, and Joyce had already arrived with the Emperor and Marian. Michael and Nichalo arrived at the base a short time later with the five Imperial Iron Kongs that had joined them in the search.

"Emperor Rudolph it is an honor to have you at this base," Captain Schubaltz said with utmost formality and a salute.

"Thank you Captain, it's an honor to be alive to be here," Rudolph said causing everyone but Schubaltz to laugh.

After being checked out by the medical staff every one of the Republican officers was allowed to return to Red River, and the Emperor and Marian returned to Guygalos with Rosso and Viola.


	8. Chapter 8

Ch. 8

A month had gone by since the attack on red river, and Rudolph's kidnapping, and everyone was getting restless again. Daniel spent all of his time off in the medical center to keep Natalia from going out of her mind while she was recovering.

Michael and Melody decided to move in to Melody's quarters together since Michael decided he couldn't bare being away from her even when she was so close. Nichalo decided it was high time to get that poker game they talked about three months and change before underway, so he went to them and told them to be at his quarters that night.

"So what are we playing?" Michael asked as he walked into Nichalo's quarters with a grin on his face. Daniel two steps behind looked more worried then he should have though.

"Daniel, she's in the best care in the base, she'll be fine for one night," Nichalo said as he watched Daniel's face changed to a slight grin.

"Alright, I'll try to keep my head off her while you two lose your money to me," Daniel said with an all out laugh. Melody and Joyce took the advantage of having Sarah on base for a visit, and saw the captain while she was stuck in the bed.

"Captain, this is a friend of ours, and Michael's little sister Sarah," Melody said wrapping an arm around Sarah.

Natalia looked to the girl; she stood about 5 feet 3 inches tall with black hair down to her mid back and Irvine's grey eyes, wearing a pink and red top over a black tank top, with a pair of black shorts under a red skirt with pink fringe, with dark red boots and gloves. Sarah smiled, which seemed to be a genuinely sweet smile, so Natalia figured she could get along with her.

"So ladies, what brings you to the medical center?" Natalia asked as they sat around the bed.

"We came here to get you out of this bed, and give you a makeover," the grey eyed girl said with a cheery attitude. Melody and Joyce seemed to just sit there and nod their agreement.

"Ladies if you haven't noticed I'm in a cast all the way up to my ass, and my foot is gone, I don't think a makeover would be possible right now," Natalia said sounding angrier at them then she meant to, "I'm sorry, I just haven't gotten over this yet," the blonde woman said gesturing to her missing foot at the end of the cast.

"Hey the cast will be off tomorrow, and we all know Daniel is planning to take you out after that, we just wanted you to look pretty for my brother is all," Joyce said with a nonchalance that took everyone by surprise, Natalia couldn't help the chuckle that slipped out.

"Now shall we get started?" Melody asked with excitement in her tone.

"Umm, Sarah you may want to leave for what I'm about to ask," Natalia said trying to get rid of the youngest girl.

"Whatever it is I'm sure I've heard it before," the grey eyed girl said making her sound very mature for 16 years old.

"I warned you. Ladies the nurse hasn't been in yet and I think she's running late because of you guys, but I really need to go to the bathroom," Natalia said seeming completely uncomfortable about the subject.

"Okay, you two out, I can handle this one," Sarah said noticing the stunned looks on Joyce and Melody's faces.

"Okay, how is it you know how to handle this so well," Natalia asked as Sarah helped her.

"My idiot brother, Mom went on a transporting run and Michael broke the bone in the top of his leg and one in the lower part, I had to help him the same way till mom got home," Sarah said seeming way more mature than before.

"Okay, I think it's safe for you two unless she asks for a sponge bath, then we'll call Daniel for that," the grey eyed girl said through the curtain at the door loosing every bit of ground she had gained with the captain, who was behind her and turning beet red.

The ladies did as much as they could before the nurses told them to leave for the night, leaving Natalia with two hands freshly manicured and her blonde hair in loose curls. Her toes had yet to be done but she knew by the time Daniel came they would be done and so would the prosthesis. Her outfit had been decided on already, she had been shown a picture of it with Sarah wearing it, being only a few inches shorter then herself it worked well, and for the first time in a few weeks, she had a smile that went all the way to her eyes.

The next day Daniel was on duty when the cast was taken off of Natalia's leg, she wasn't too pleased about that but it gave her time to get used to the prosthetic foot and walking on her leg again. It also gave the ladies that had paid her a visit the night before a chance to finish what they had started.

"Natalia, are you sure you want to risk him seeing you, I mean don't you want the whole thing to be a surprise?" Melody asked as they walked and Natalia half limped down the hall.

"Yeah, I do want it to be a surprise but I've been in that white room for so long I needed to get out," Natalia laughed before cringing in pain.

"Hey are you sure you're okay to be walking around?" Joyce asked catching the Captain.

"I'm fine, really just the prosthetic dug into my ankle is all," Natalia said trying to look tougher then she felt.

By the time they got to Natalia's quarters Melody and Joyce were carrying the Captain in a fireman's chair using their arms as the seat.

"Maybe we should get you checked out before that date of yours with Daniel," Melody said as she pulled the dress out of the closet. A long pale blue and silver strapless gown that would cover her feet so she could wear any kind of shoe she wanted and hide them.

"Guys, really I just need to rest a while, Melody you have to keep Daniel out of here for a while," Natalia begged.

"What's it worth to you?" Sarah asked with a huge grin on her face.

"Sarah, no go girly," Joyce said in a semi warning tone.

"Would it be worth a new Zoid?" Sarah asked anyway.

"Civilians can't be given a military Zoid unless authorized by the higher ups, and I'm not a higher up on this one," Natalia said making Sarah pout like a five year old.

"But, I'll see what I can come up with, as long as you keep him busy," Natalia said because she hated seeing that face. Sarah flew out of the room with a grin from ear to ear.

"You might not have wanted to say that," Melody said noticing the grin on Joyce's face.

"Why not?" the captain asked, who was still sitting on the couch with her leg up.

"Because Sarah has a huge teenage crush on Daniel, she might try something to steal him away from you," Melody said trying not to laugh.

The two ladies spent the rest of the day getting Natalia ready for her date, and walking on the new foot with sneakers on.

"How do I look?" Natalia asked walking out of the bathroom, without the limp from before. She stood there 5'6" tall, a very well built 120 lbs, looking spectacular in the blue and silver gown they had picked out, her hair in curls down to her shoulder blades. +

"I think you look spectacular," Melody said excitedly, Joyce nodding her agreement.

"Okay, Daniel gets off in ten minutes, that gives us enough time for the final touches," Joyce said grabbing a pair of earrings and a necklace out of the jewelry box she had brought with her.

"The earrings are solid gold, and that necklace belonged to my Aunt Maria before she gave it to me, which means I want it back, but it'll wait till tomorrow," Joyce said with a smile.

"I gave Sarah an earwig before we got you out of the hospital wing so I'll let her know that we can let Daniel come on over instead of delaying him," Melody said stepping out of the room.

"Joyce, what am I going to do with you two after helping me so much?" Natalia asked shaking her head a little.

"You could promote us," Joyce said jokingly.

Daniel arrived right on time to see Joyce and Melody standing outside the quarters of his girlfriend.

"What's going on you two?" Daniel asked with a slight wave.

"Sarah is helping Captain Herman with her make-up," Joyce said nonchalantly.

"Oh, can I go in?" Daniel asked reaching for the door knob.

"NO," both girls shouted grabbing on to him.

"You'll wait for her right here," Melody said hanging off his right arm.

"Alright, then I'll just do that," Daniel said relaxing in the girl's grip.

Joyce and Melody relaxed their grip, allowing Daniel to break free and go for the door. Just as Daniel went to reach for the door knob the door swung open to reveal a very beautiful Natalia Herman. Melody and Joyce seemed to be holding him up for a split second before he recovered his ability to speak.

"You look incredibly beautiful," Daniel stammered out.

"Thank you, where are we going?" Natalia asked as she stepped out of the room. Daniel apparently hadn't completely recovered cause he never answered just took her by the hand and led her out of the base.

"Well done Sarah," Melody said walking away from the quarter's of her captain.

"Do you think she can really get me a Zoid?" Sarah asked quietly as they walked the halls to Melody's room.

"I don't know, but don't you already have Aunt Moonbay's Gustav?" Joyce asked sounding a little incredulous of her reasoning.

"Yeah, but mom's Gustav is just so out dated compared to the new ones, that and its slower then I really want to go," Sarah responded with a sad tone.

"Sarah, you need to learn that we sometimes don't get what we want out of life, I mean look at me and Nichalo, I have had a crush on him for so long, and he sees me more as a sister then a romantic chance," Joyce said shocking both Melody and Sarah.

"You have a crush on me?" Nichalo's voice came from behind Joyce, who nearly jumped through the roof hearing him.

"I'll take that reaction as a yes," Nichalo said with a slight chuckle before wrapping Joyce in a hug.

"Sarah lets you and I get some food," Melody whispered to Sarah before taking her arm and dragging her away from the couple.

"Why didn't you ever tell me about that crush you had on me?" Nichalo asked not letting go of Joyce.

"Because, I thought you didn't like me that way, so I just left it alone," Joyce said enjoying the feeling of being held.

"Well if you had told me the truth, I would have told you the same thing you just told me, well maybe to your face instead of the whole scaring thing," Nichalo responded laying his head on her shoulder. They spent the night discussing when they realized they liked each other, and things of similar subjects.

"I'm going to head home tomorrow, can you guys send someone with me, after the Judges have attacked so many places I'm getting a little nervous about running alone especially in the scarcely armed Gustav," Sarah said as her and Melody returned from their dinner.

"I'll talk to the captain, see what we can up with, I'm sure we'll come up with something," Melody responded helping the young girl feel more at ease.

Meanwhile Daniel and Natalia were having an evening of dancing and dinning in one of the most formal restaurants in the city near Red River.

"Having fun?" Daniel asked while holding Natalia tight as they danced across the floor.

"Absolutely," Natalia replied before Daniel dipped her.

She came up with an ear to ear smile that went all the way to her eyes. Daniel didn't notice but they were being watched by the entire crowd on the dance floor. When the band stopped playing their piece Daniel and Natalia were completely out of breath, and the crowd was applauding their dance. Natalia bowed slightly as she and Daniel left the floor.

"Who taught you to dance like that?" Natalia asked as they returned to their table.

"Believe it or not my dad did," Daniel said running his fingers through his blonde hair.

"Van Flyheight knew how to dance, that's a little shocking from what my dad told me about him," Natalia said sounding just as surprised as she should have been.

They got back to base and Natalia revealed that she had been wearing sneakers the entire time so her foot wouldn't hurt.

"Figured as much, you wouldn't have been able to move like that tonight in the heels my sister and Melody had in mind," Daniel sounding not at all shocked.

"Wait you knew about the dress?" Natalia asked sounding even more shocked then before.

"I only knew about a pair of four inch heels they had in mind before the attack on the base," Daniel admitted waving his hands defensively. Natalia just gave him a funny look and wrapped her arms around him.

"Well if you knew or not I still had fun tonight, and I loved being with you," Natalia said snuggling into his chest as they on the couch in her quarters.

"Natalia, there's something I've been meaning to tell you, and right now is the best time, Natalia, I think I've really fallen in love with you," Daniel said quietly into her ear.

"Daniel, I love you too," Natalia responded shortly responded before yawning into Daniel's chest.

"Let's get you in bed," Daniel said with a slight chuckle as he picked her up and carried her to her bedroom and tucking her in. He was getting things ready to leave the captain's quarters when a knock on the door got his attention.

"Shhh, Natalia is in bed asleep," the blonde man said quietly as he opened the door for Melody and Sarah.

Sarah and Melody explained the situation to Daniel, who in response took care of the paperwork as acting base commander, as to not disturb Natalia's sleep.

"That order will send a Command Wolf with you, and he will return to base after you reach the Wind Colony," Daniel said briefing the pilot as well as Sarah the next morning.

"Yes sir," both Sarah and the pilot said with a salute.

"Get going," Daniel said sending them on their way.

"You're sending your sister out with an escort Zoid?" Natalia asked entering the control room.

"Yeah, with the Judges out there she requested an escort back home just to be on the safe side," Daniel said wrapping the Captain in a tight hug.

"What's this for?" Natalia asked without sounding nasty even though they were on duty.

"Because I love you," Daniel said with a grin from ear to ear.

"I love you too, now we need to get back to work before something goes bad," Natalia said with a chuckle as she watched Daniel pouting a little. She let out a sigh of resignation and kissed him on the lips before going back to her duties.

A month went by and no word was had from the Judges, Daniel asked Natalia to move into his quarters with him, she graciously accepted jumping into his arms even though they were on duty and standing in the new control room of Red River Base. Nichalo and Joyce had been very open about their relationship from the very beginning, and no one was at all surprised when Michael popped the question right in the middle of a training battle. Melody on the other hand shocked everyone when she turned down his proposal after the fight ended.

"Come on, why not? I mean we love each other we've been dating for almost a year and living together for two months now, why not make it official?" Michael asked quietly as he sat on the couch in their quarters.

"Michael. I just don't want history to repeat itself, last time someone got hitched on this base with a bad guy on the loose my uncle died," Melody said shedding a single tear.

"Honey, the wedding can be whenever you want it to be, tomorrow, next week, or next year for all I care, I will wait forever to make you mine," Michael said getting off the couch and kneeling in front of her. "But will you at least accept my proposal?" he asked pulling a diamond ring out of his pocket.

Melody nearly lost her head when she saw it was the ring her uncle Daniel had given to Samantha. She shocked him again by turning away from him.

"Michael, you don't understand, if I'm engaged to you I will want to get married as fast as humanly possible, bad guy or not, and call me whatever you like, but I don't want to lose you," Melody said sobbing into her hands as she fell to her knees.

"Oh, and here I thought I knew you better than anyone else," Michael said with a small grin on his face as he wrapped her in a hug.

"What does that mean?" she asked as she turned her face toward his.

"Oh nothing, your mother said this would happen when I asked for their permission," Michael said before laughing while Melody gave him a funny look.

They spent the rest of the evening talking about everything. Nichalo and Joyce were on the other side of the base trying to figure out ways to get Melody to say yes to getting married to Michael. Well Joyce was scheming and Nichalo was trying to talk her out of it.

"Joyce, Melody must have her reasons for not accepting, she may think it's too early or something, you need to let it work itself out," Nichalo said in a slightly raised voice.

"Nichalo, you know she wants to, so why can't we just help her say 'yes'?" Joyce asked in an elevated tone before noticing Nichalo laughing, "And just what are you laughing at?" the black haired woman asked as his laughter got louder.

"I'm just laughing at the situation, here we are getting into a fight over something that is none of our business in the first place, and we're each trying to figure out a way to get the other on board with their plan," the blue eyed man said after calming down. Joyce didn't seem to find the humor in it for a second, but did when she thought it through. They were both laughing uncontrollably when a knock at the door startled them both.

"Hey guys, we were going out and wondered if you wanted to double with us," Daniel said after being ushered into the living space in Nichalo's quarters.

"Why not ask Michael and Melody?" Joyce asked before Nichalo could stop her.

"Well with the whole marriage proposal thing this afternoon I think they need to be alone," Natalia responded calmly, Daniel nodded his agreement with her.

Meanwhile in New Helic City Rob Herman was being briefed by an undercover operative.

"So what your saying is that the Judges have thirty Zoids left after the attacks on Red River and Dragon Head base but they're gathering more, and only two of their leaders remain after the Emperor was kidnapped and stood half a trial, what I need to know is what they'll be doing next," Herman said to a tall spiky black haired man standing before him.

"I'm not sure what they might do, they've come after you and gotten the Emperor once already, I don't know if they might try again or not, but I definitely know they'll go after Melody and Joyce for taking out the Jury the way they did, they didn't like me much so we're safe with my 'exit' as the Executioner," the man said calmly before sitting down and running a hand through his black spikes, "Can we warn them at all?"

"Wolf and Raven have sent them Mystic, honestly though I'm not sure how much help she will be, but we can't warn or tell them what's going on here, you are supposed to be dead after all Van," Herman said thinking of Irvine who was the only one who really died in that fight.


	9. Chapter 9

Ch. 9

"I hate this, I want to go home and get to know my kids again, like Wolf and Raven did," Van complained as he stood to leave.

"Van, we all thought they were gone too, but there is nothing we could have done to stop them from coming back because they showed up at Red River unconscious," Herman replied somberly. "Look, I asked you to do this because I knew you would get the job done no matter what, I guess I shouldn't have told you about Wolf and Raven showing up though."

"I'm glad you did though, I've thought for ten years that every friend I had was gone, and honestly I was a walking zombie for almost all of it, now I feel a reason to get this done, but I really want to see them is all, the getting to know them can come later," the spiky black haired man said before walking out the door.

"I'll see what I can do, I here Daniel and Joyce are on a double date with their significant others tonight, If you can make it out that way in say two or three hours you might catch them," Herman shouted through the door not knowing if Van had even heard him.

Back at a restaurant near the base Daniel had the uneasy feeling he was being watched, he didn't know from where or by whom he just knew someone was watching him.

"Guys I'll be back in a minute," the spiky blonde haired man said before getting up to leave.

As he walked through the place he caught a few glimpses of someone who was moving with him. When he got to the door the other person was nowhere in sight, so he turned and headed for the restrooms, again that same person moving with him across the place.

Daniel got to the bathrooms and immediately entered them without hesitation, but quickly sidestepped away from the door and placed the wedge to keep it shut. About ten seconds after getting in the bathroom he heard someone slam into the effectively locked door, he knocked the wedge out from under the door grabbed the guy by the collar and threw him across the room.

"Who are you and what are you watching me and my friends for?" Daniel shouted. The man slowly got off the floor without answering him; he was a tall, spiky black haired man with a red rectangle on the left side of his jaw.

"I see you took to wearing my old uniform, and took some lessons from someone else in fighting," the man said quietly.

"I don't know what you're talking about, this is my father's uniform and he's dead and buried," Daniel shouted at his own father without realizing it.

"Well I guess I deserved that, but I'm not dead, just undercover for a really long time," the black haired man said as he took slow steps with his arms a little away from his sides, "Daniel Flyheight, your mother used to get angry at your uncle Wolf for listening and doing what he said when you never did for her," Van said using every ounce of calm he had.

"Okay but that's common knowledge, try something else," Daniel stammered as his mind began to unravel.

"Well when you were four years old you kissed Natalia Herman, when she and her father came for a visit at the Wind Colony," Van said smirking as he watched the light click in his son's head.

"Not even Natalia remembered that," Daniel said backing himself against the door before sliding down to the floor.

"Look, Daniel I know you want to scream your head off about seeing me, but you need to keep this under your hat for a while, if it got out I was still alive my cover would be blown," Van said getting a nod in return before he left, Daniel still sitting on the floor.

"Okay, what the hell just happened?" Daniel asked himself as he stared in the mirror, before splashing some cold water on his face and leaving the restroom to rejoin his double date.

Daniel returned to the table trying to appear as though nothing had happened, but he noticed Natalia and Joyce looking at him with slight concern before he sat down.

"So who was that guy who followed you?" Nichalo asked as he sipped his drink. Natalia and Joyce just seemed to be waiting for the answer.

"What guy?" Daniel asked as calmly as possible, though he failed spectacularly no one noticed or pretended not to.

"Tall fellow, black hair slightly gray on the sides," Joyce said quietly enough for only the four of them to hear her.

"Oh that, he wasn't following me he just happened to be heading the same place at the same time," Daniel said using a normal tone of voice.

After they finished eating they all left and headed back to base, a night of dancing, music and some very good food seemed to wipe out everyone. When they got back Joyce and Nichalo headed for his quarters while Daniel and Natalia headed for theirs.

"Daniel, tell me who that guy really was? Even I noticed him jumping between bushes trying to go unnoticed, seemed he pulled it off with everyone but the four of us," Natalia asked once they got inside.

"I can't tell you, his cover might get blown if it gets out he met with me," Daniel said a whole lot calmer then in the restaurant.

"I understand, but why did he want to meet with you?" the Captain asked pushing for any info she could get.

"I can't say, again it has to deal with his cover," the red eyed man responded still in a half state of shock.

"Look I just want to know if I have any competition or not, and if you can't answer that's fine but if you just don't want to then I think you need to spend the night alone," Natalia said sternly before turning to the door to leave.

"Sweetheart, your competition, that you've ever so greatly imagined, is mine and Joyce's father, he's not dead but under cover for the last ten years," Daniel said quietly from his place on the couch.

He hated to blow his father's cover like that but he had to tell her so as not to lose her. Natalia scoffed and walked out the door anyway, leaving a very guilty feeling Daniel sitting on his couch.

The next day he could hardly get Natalia to speak to him, and when she did it was to bark orders at him to leave her alone or go do something. Around five o'clock in the afternoon Daniel had just about had enough of her sour attitude, and had every intention of finding out why and how to fix it.

"Melody I need your help badly, Natalia's pissed at me and I need to figure out why, and how to fix it," Daniel said through the door to Melody's room.

When Michael opened the door instead of Melody he nearly ran off, but stood his ground instead since he'd already announced the problem.

"Melody is on duty, I've got an hour before I go on so if you think I can help I'm here," Michael said with a cheerful smile.

Daniel looked at the man very closely and it clicked in his head what must have happened the night before. "I'm going to guess she finally said yes to your proposal, or you got lucky one of the two," he said with a smirk as he walked through the door.

"Both actually but nice of you to notice, so tell me everything you four did last night," Michael said rather nonchalantly as he sat on the sectional.

Daniel sat across from him and told the whole story leaving out the fact it was his father who followed him.

"Okay, have you missed any anniversary by chance?" Michael said passing the whole restaurant over as the cause of this fight.

"No, at least I don't think I did, our six months was about a week ago, first kiss well that's been a while, and…" Daniel stopped mid sentence before flying off the couch and running to the control room of the base.

_'He's figured out that Natalia's birthday was two days ago,' _Michael thought with a short laugh.

When Daniel ran into the control room, he ran through and people were parting like the red sea for Moses.

"Natalia, I am so sorry I forgot your birthday," Daniel said on his knees in front of her.

"I beg of you to forgive me," the spiky blonde haired man said placing her hand to his lips. Natalia only turned beet red noticing all the people staring at the couple.

"Daniel, let's talk in my office," Natalia said leading a knee walking Daniel behind her.

"Daniel, I swear if you ever do…" the blonde woman was cut off by his lips gently pressing against hers, and his tongue begging for entrance. She gave in and let him kiss her fully enjoying every second of the time.

"Okay you're forgiven," Natalia said as she caught her breath. "Why can't I stay mad at you?"

"Because I'm just that charming," Daniel said casually before leaving the office on foot instead of knee.

Everything was going well at Red River base, the gentlemen had officially started a weekly poker game, and the ladies were enjoying a night in watching movies and girl talk just as their mothers had done before them.

"So who here hasn't slept with their man?" Natalia asked thinking she already knew with Sarah in the room.

"None of us apparently," the blonde said after nearly thirty seconds of non responsiveness.

"Okay, when and who was it Sarah, your only sixteen," Melody asked in a stern almost motherly tone.

"You remember when Daniel sent that Command Wolf pilot with me, well it happened on the way back home from that trip," Sarah said trying to shrink her body into the sofa she was sitting on.

"I have a bad feeling," Michael said mid deal without stopping.

"Well get over it and play it's your bet," Nichalo said as he slapped his friends arm. The game ended early when alarms all over the base started going off and the barracks halls shook from shelling.

"Get to your Zoids; we need to get a tally on the bandits," Daniel shouted once they had caught up to the girls. Once they were in their Zoids and out of the base the shelling immediately stopped.

"We only want that Blade Liger and the dark blue Zaber Fang," the voice of the one called Judge rang through the radios.

"You want us, you got us," Melody shouted with Joyce's agreement coming right after.

"Maybe you don't understand ladies, we mean to end those who ended our comrades," The Judge said through a video link that showed only his piercing green eyes and a black bandana across the man's face.

"Judges keep the others at bay, the Boss and I will handle the Liger and the Zaber," The Judge said getting a hand full of voice agreements. Thirty Zoids came out of their hiding places, 15 white Stinger Special Guysak and 15 all black Rev Raptors.

"Oh great Melody, look what you got us into," Daniel yelled as he started downing enemies.

Melody squared off with the Judge himself in a Black Konig Wolf while Joyce measured up to a white Great Zaber that didn't look modified in the least.

"Let's see what that equipment gets you, I am Boss and I will be your opponent in this fight," a voice said in a told cold as ice.

"Boss, enough with theatrics and let's fight," Joyce said venom dripping off every word.

"I wish to see this fight, if you do not object I will abstain from fighting with you till their fight is over," the Judge spoke in a kind tone.

"I don't object, but why?" Melody asked with a confused look on her face.

"The Boss is our youngest member but a very skilled pilot, this will be his first chance to prove his skill," the Judge said with a small chuckle. The Judge turned his Zoid away from Melody towards the fight that was about to begin between Boss and Joyce.

The first thing Melody noticed was Michael had jettisoned his primary cannons and was fighting using only teeth and claws.

"Melody since that guy doesn't want to tussle, why not give us a hand out here, my guns over…" Michael said getting cut off by a blast to the side of his cockpit.

"MICHAEL!" Melody screamed as she set the blades and sliced down any enemy that got in her way.

She decimated what was left of the Rev Raptors and Guysaks before turning the white Zaber into minced meat, short the cockpit. As she ran towards the black Konig she spotted the right paw flinching just before it leaped into a run.

"You won't beat me so easily this time," the Judge screamed as he flew towards Melody's Blade Liger.

In the blink of an eye the two were on top of each other and pounding each other with the claws of their Zoids. Melody took full advantage of the movement in the paw, blocking or dodging every attack he launched at her.

"My, my young lady you're doing very well," the Judge said panting slightly.

"I won't lose," Melody said opening a video link, her eyes shown grey like wet stone.

"I know you won't, but I must say the chances are slim at finding out weather you will in the future," the Judge said as he turned the Zoid and vanished into the sunset.

When Melody saw this she ran her Blade Liger to where her fiancé's Zoid fell, Michael hadn't gotten out and the Zoid was still registering a functional command system. When she got to the Zoid she noticed a crack in the view screen, and blood smeared around the crack.

"Michael, please answer me," Melody said quietly with her eyes filling with tears. Daniel managed to limp his damaged Great Zaber over to Michael's fallen Command Wolf.

"Mike, please say anything to any one of us," Daniel whispered his eyes too filling with tears, knowing using the shorter version of his name would get his attention.

None of them were willing to move, Joyce never moved an inch from where her Zoid stood. Melody finally managed to pull herself out of the cockpit and stumbled her way to the Command Wolf's cockpit and opened it. Michael was laying there motionless and covered in blood from a wound in his head, he was still breathing so Daniel finally reacted and called a medical unit to the site.

When they arrived they hauled the totaled Command Wolf and Michael's wrecked and still unconscious body on to the Gustav, Melody just stood and watched in a state of shock. Daniel noticed a slight waver in her balance and managed to get to her before she hit the ground. Joyce finally moved her Zoid and Nichalo set the auto pilot on the Psycho Genosaurer and took Melody's Blade Liger back to base for her. Daniel carried her in his Great Zaber.

_'I don't know if anyone is listening to my thoughts in the heavens, but please keep these two safe and sane,' _Daniel prayed as he entered the hanger on base.

Over the next two weeks, Melody spent every second she could next to Michael's bed. The final medical report showed one broke arm and two ribs, and a lot of internal bleeding added to the gash in his forehead. Captain Herman didn't allow her to stay off duty, forcing her away from her fiancé's and his bed for at least six hours every two days. Daniel asked her why she was doing it that way; all he got in response was a shake of her head saying she wasn't telling him.

"Natalia, you need to at least tell us so at least we know what you're doing," Joyce said as her and Nichalo entered Daniel and Natalia's quarters.

"Look she needs time to heal her mind, thinking you're going to lose him isn't good for you or her, so I'm treating her the way I was treated when my brother died," Natalia said as she wrapped her arms around Daniel. Joyce and Nichalo seemed shocked at the situation, and Daniel just returned the hug Natalia was giving him.

Melody was laying on the bed next to Michael trying to get a little sleep, finally falling asleep to the bleeps of the heart monitor and the drone of the different machines in the room. When she woke she felt something different about her surroundings, she could hear steady breathing near her ear, and she felt a few hoses, and an arm wrapped around her waist along with another one with a cast on it under her neck.

Melody tried to rotate her head to see who was sleeping on her. It didn't take her long to realize that Michael woke up in the night and cuddled up to her. She wriggled her way out of the bed and went out to ask the nurse, when he had woken up.

"Nurse, when did Lieutenant Michael wake up? I woke up and he was wrapped around me," she asked when she got to the nurse's desk.

"He woke up around 2 this morning, and asked us not to disturb you; he said that he felt you watching over him while you were there and the emptiness when you weren't I'm not sure what to make of that. Is he resting now?" The Nurse asked as she checked a few things.

"Yes he is, could you tell him when he wakes up that I've gone for a shower, it should be any minute now if I know him," Melody said chuckling slightly.

"We will, and you know him better than anyone else," The nurse reminding her of all the stories Melody had been telling them.

When Michael woke for the second time he was alone in the hospital bed and had a sinking feeling in his chest, he pressed the call button on the bed and the nurse came in after a few seconds.

"Sir, did you need something?" The nurse asked with a smile, ignoring the cast and bandages.

"Yes, a little less on the pain killers, I feel kind of fuzzy, and a location on the beautiful girl I woke up next to a while ago," Michael responded with a groggy tone. The nurse walked over to the bed and adjusted the morphine drip.

"She went for a shower, she'll be back in a bit, she only left about two minutes ago," the nurse said as she left the room.

Michael laid there a moment before pulling the tape off the needles in his arm before pulling the needle out. Carefully he got out of the bed, feeling a little less fuzzy but no pain as he dressed himself careful not to hit the cast on anything. He was just leaving the room when a nurse caught on and tried to convince him to stay. He laid his broken arm on her shoulder and asked as politely as he could to take the cast off and wrap it tightly in a bandage.

"I don't like it, but you have to promise to not hit it on anything, you do at this point it's likely to break again," The nurse said as she led him to the room where she could take the cast off. When she finished taking the cast off she wrapped on a bandage tightly as she could.

Michael walked the halls, and made his way towards Melody and his quarters, every step he took brought more pain for him to get used to, and when he arrived at their quarters he heard Melody singing in the shower, he opened the door with his broken right arm and slowly as possible making sure he didn't hurt himself. As he walked in he heard the shower stop so he decided to wait on the sofa and let his body adjust to the pain he now felt. Melody continued to hum her song as she dried off, not knowing anything about Michael leaving the medical bay and coming back to their quarters. When Michael heard her coming into the living room, he stood forcing himself to use his broken arm.

"So I take your happy to see I'm okay then," Michael said with a grin across his face.

Melody nearly went through the roof of the base, letting out a scream of terror come out, causing Michael to cover his ears because of how sensitive they were. When Daniel and Natalia came flying into the room they saw Melody still screaming as she hit her fiancé repeatedly across the left arm he was using as his only defense. Daniel quickly grabbed Melody and pulled her kicking and screaming away from Michael. Natalia took her time grabbing an ice pack for Michael's arm, giving Daniel enough time to get the belligerent Melody out of the room.

"So what are you doing out of the hospital?" the captain asked wrapping the ice pack around Michael's left arm as he cradled his right.

"Trying to surprise my girl, whose mother attacked her father for doing what I just did," Michael said still grinning from ear to ear.

"Well maybe you should have remembered that before doing it," Natalia said with a comforting tone.

"Natalia, I don't know what Daniel thinks of the subject, but you will make a great mom some day, I mean look this, you taking care of me and trying to comfort a man who isn't even complaining," Michael said trying not to fall over on his right arm at the look on her face.

"Well I guess your right in a way," Natalia said kneeling back down next to him and replacing the ice pack.

"I've always thought about becoming a mom, but not yet, maybe when I'm out of the military," Natalia said in the same comforting tone. Melody reentered the room and took Natalia's place holding the ice pack as Daniel came back in.

"Okay how did they let you out of the hospital wing?" Daniel asked sitting in one of the chairs.

"I charmed one of the nurses into taking the cast off and walked out, not sure why they haven't come after me yet though," Michael said covering his head noticing a look in Melody's eye.

"Maybe they knew your pops pretty well huh," Natalia said as she sat in Daniel's lap.

After ten minutes of talking Daniel agreed to help with modifications to Michael's new Zoid, and they all headed for the hanger where two male nurses came into the hanger to make sure Michael would return to medical center as soon as his modifications were made.

"Look you two, you can make sure he goes in four hours, or help and get him there in three, your call," Melody said to the two men as they stood near the brand new Lightning Siax, shipped to the base shortly after the attack, from the president's personal escort team.

"We do humans, not Zoids ma'am," the bigger one said with a slight chuckle.

"Great means more time with my man before you haul him off," Melody said turning away from them with a grin from ear to ear on her face. After four hours they had made the modifications that could be made for the day, Daniel would paint the currently all white Zoid black and red later on.

"Daniel, Michael's official release date is tomorrow, let's paint this thing tonight so he'll have a nice surprise in the morning," Melody said as they walked towards the hanger door.

"Alright, Natalia and I will come back a little later and finish up the modifications the nurses wouldn't let him do too," Daniel said with a small smile on his face.

Melody stayed in the hospital room with Michael and the nurses allowed him to keep the cast off, so they were just there talking. _'Mystic, see what you can do with the sensors of the Lightning Siax, anything you can make permanent would be great,' _Melody thought to the Organoid.

*It shall be done, and I can do quite a lot,* Mystic growled sounding almost offended. Daniel and Natalia were painting and finishing up the modifications to the Lightning Siax, when Mystic walked into the hanger and fused with the Lightning Siax. *I was under orders from Melody to make sensor modifications to this Zoid,* Mystic said after defusing from the Zoid, staring at confused faces.

"Okay then, couldn't we have done that Mystic?" Natalia asked as she turned her back on the Organoid.

*Not the modifications I made no, but you shouldn't have to make any more I finished all the loose ended ones,* Mystic growled as she left the hanger.

Daniel painted until well into the night, but when he finished it looked just like the one Irvine had his Command Wolf transferred into.

"Alright, it's completely finished, he had better show some respect to his future wife for this one," Daniel said before noticing Natalia was asleep on the already dry paws of the Zoid.

Daniel knew that they had a few hours before Michael would even be awake and a few more after that before his discharge time, so he carried Natalia to their quarters before lying down and falling into sleep. On the other side of the base Melody had fallen asleep in Michael's arms on the hospital bed, with Joyce and Nichalo in the chair bed next to the bed.

When the four woke up Melody immediately went about filling out the paperwork to get Michael out of the hospital wing. Nichalo helped Michael unhook all the machines while Joyce went to get Daniel and Natalia to the hanger for the surprise. Nichalo ducked out as Melody helped her fiancé get back into his uniform, and they left together. Melody was asking about what the nurse had told her when she woke up when they arrived at the hanger.

"Alright babe, are you ready for the surprise of the year?" Melody asked covering his eyes as they walked through main entrance.

"Umm, okay I'm already smelling fresh paint and Natalia's perfume, and Nichalo's shampoo, so I'm sure Daniel and Joyce are here, and my new Lightning Siax has been painted," Michael said as they all stood around him stunned.

"Can he name the paint though?" Daniel asked with a slight scoff.

"Well going by nose alone it's definitely black and red, shades are iffy," Michael said shocking every one again.

"I hate it when you do that," Nichalo said with an annoyed tone

Michael pulled Melody's hand off his face and saw all of them standing there in front of a black and red Lightning Siax; he couldn't help but tear up as he grabbed Melody in a bear hug.

"I love it," the brown haired man said quietly into her ear as his chin rested on his fiancé's shoulder.


	10. Chapter 10

Ch. 10

A month went by and no one heard anything at all out of the Judges, and no major threats or attacks had the people of Red River, and all the other bases along the border, bored stiff. Daniel, Michael, and Nichalo had gone back to their poker game with a few other men on base. Natalia made it a point to give the rest of the girls the poker nights off so they could have their girl's night in. During duty hours Michael got used to his Lightning Siax, Joyce granted him full access to the testing grounds as so that he could really train, Daniel helped with on the fly adjustments and minor repairs, and Nichalo did the bigger repairs. Melody joined them when she could after helping Natalia run the base.

"You know boys, always trying to beat each other," Natalia said as the Psycho Genosaurer, bright blue Great Zaber, and Lightning Siax flew around the test courses.

"Yeah, and somehow they still don't seem fast enough to get passed the Konig Wolf's times from when my father set them," Melody said with a chuckle as Joyce and Natalia burst out in laughter.

Out of nowhere a black blur shot past all three Zoids, moving faster than the recorders could move.

"Guess that means dad came for a visit," the blue eyed woman said seeing the three other Zoids stop cold in their tracks as they tried to stay on their feet.

They were not at all surprised by the fact it was the Supersonic Wolf standing on the finish line of the testing circuit, what they were shocked at was that Wolf had a passenger in the cockpit.

"Mom, what are you two doing here," Melody asked hugging her father after they got to the hanger.

"We need to talk to Herman and Emperor Rudolph about a few things, they should be here any minute now," Clare said staring at her daughter and her fiancé, and the rest of the kids who called them aunt and uncle.

"Well I'm the base commander here and I'm Captain Natalia Herman, what is it you want with me?" the blonde haired woman asked as they walked to a briefing room.

"Oh, are you taking advantage of your father's position or are you doing it his way?" Clare asked before noticing Daniel and Wolf both trying to stop her.

"Ma'am, I only use my father's position to get new Zoids for my pilots, nothing else," Natalia said with a slightly impatient tone.

"Captain, President Herman and his escort have arrived," an officer said through the radio.

"Let them in, and send them to hanger four, the others are full right now," Natalia said before ducking out to see her father and mother.

"Lieutenant Flyheight, Emperor Rudolph has signaled in and would like your presence as well as Lieutenant Novis at the landing site," the officer finished through the radio.

A few minutes later Melody and Daniel were standing in the area where the Imperial Whale King would be landing at any moment.

"Do you have any idea what this whole thing is all about Daniel?" Melody asked as the Whale King came into view.

"Nope, and you wouldn't be asking if you did, so let's go find out," Daniel said as the Whale King landed about two hundred feet away from them. They walked aboard the Whale King and found the Emperor and Marian about to disembark from the vessel.

"What is this all about Your Highness?" Melody asked as they all walked down the ramp of the Whale King.

"I'm here for a promotions ceremony, though I'm not sure of who's," Rudolph said with a chuckle, Marian gave him a dirty look that said 'not another word'.

"I think we've been had Daniel," Melody said noticing the look Marian was giving Rudolph.

"Yup, me too," Daniel said with a chuckle as they continued on to the new Emperor's suite.

After leaving the Emperor and his wife Daniel and Melody discussed just who would be getting promoted among them.

"Daniel, I don't know about you but I honestly think Michael is up for promotion, you and I probably are too," Melody said as they walked the halls of the base.

"Lieutenants Michael, Melody Novis, Daniel and Joyce Flyheight report to briefing room two on the double," Natalia's voice came through the intercom system.

Melody and Daniel leaped into a dead run and met up with Nichalo, Michael and Joyce on the way. They all ran the halls as fast as their feet would carry them, and got to the briefing room within two minutes of being called.

"We have bad news for all of you," Rob Herman said looking to Michael longer than anyone else.

"Michael, your sister Sarah and Moonbay were kidnapped two days ago, Reese and Raven are on their way, but they couldn't keep up with my Wolf so I came on ahead," Wolf said as he stood with his guard up.

None of them had any idea what Michael would do, act on impulse like his father or think things through like his mother.

Melody broke down and cried into his chest, while Nichalo and Joyce held each other. Daniel stood in a shocked state of mind, while Wolf and Clare seemed to hold each other at a distance, watching for any reaction at all out of Michael.

"Let's go, I want every detail on the move," Michael said with an unusually deep voice, while walking out the door. Melody and Nichalo followed him closely, with Daniel and Joyce right behind them.

"What do we do Michael?" Daniel asked as they entered the hanger.

"Call up Tiffany Schubaltz remind her who we are and get them in on the hunt, see if we can't get some of the other bases on the lookout," Michael said jumping into the Lightning Siax's cockpit.

"Okay, Mystic fuse to the Blade Liger," Melody said closing her canopy.

*Can't, I'm already in the Supersonic with the others,* Mystic responded from her place on the core of the one of a kind Konig.

"Everybody mobilize," Michael said as he left the hanger in a dead run.

"Daniel the entire base has orders to mobilize, I'll be on your six in three minutes," Natalia said through the video link.

"Alright, I don't know what's going to happen over at Dragon Head but they are definitely sending five Zoids to help out," Daniel responded.

They spent two days hunting, Joyce and Nichalo hunting on their own, Wolf doing the same in the Konig.

"All teams come in," Wolf said through a military only frequency.

"This is Michael, what's happening sir," Michael responded on the same frequency.

"You and Melody get as many teams as you can together, and get to my location as fast as possible," Wolf said as he sent his location through the private link.

Twenty minutes later Michael, Melody, Joyce, Daniel, and Nichalo arrived with twenty other Zoids from both the Empire and the Republic including Natalia's flame red Shield Liger, Herman's blue Shield Liger and the Royal Zaber Fang. Two other familiar Zoids stood with them, a blue and white Blade Liger as well as a black and red Zaber Fang with a Gatling unit and missile launchers.

"Karl it's good to see you back on the field, when did you arrive?" Wolf asked as ten more Zoids showed up.

"Sorry Wolf, this isn't the time for pleasantries we have work to do," Karl L. Schubaltz replied as he walked his Zoid next to the Konig.

"Who is in the Blade Liger over there?" Daniel asked noticing just how much it looked like his father's.

"No need to worry about that now, we have bigger problems, we have thirty plus Zoids here, there are nearly twice that down there, what's the plan?" Natalia asked not knowing who was commanding the troops anymore.

"We send the best we have, Karl, Wolf, Clare, and Captain Herman, sorry Mr. President but your safety comes over your fighting skills this time," Michael said as he walked his Lighting Siax to the front line.

"Okay, what do you want us to do exactly," Karl asked as he and the others opened the canopy on their Zoids.

For ten minutes they discussed his plan, dash and run with the two Blade Ligers taking as many as they could, using the sonic waves from the Konig and Lightning Siax to knock a few out, Karl would take out as many as he could from a distance. When they all got back into their cockpits Melody climbed into a Zaber Fang that had been remote piloted to their location.

"Alright so…" Melody stopped when she saw four very familiar Zoids, three of which she knew were destroyed. Two white Great Zabers and two black Konig Wolves.

"Who are those four?" someone who sounded awfully familiar to all of them asked.

"They lead that squad of Zoids there," Melody responded without caring who had asked.

"Time to act, all Zoids move out," Michael said before powering the Lightning Siax down the cliff closely followed by those who were requested to follow him.

In less than five minutes they had all sixty Zoids wiped out, Blades and sonic booms being the main weapons of the fall. The only Zoids left standing were the four leading Zoids, and they were standing ready for a fight.

"You need to let my sister and my mother go before I slice you all to bits," Michael said through the speakers.

"We let them go when you're all dead," The Judges voice rang out.

"The black and blue Blade Liger and the dark blue Zaber Fang, that's who we want to fight," the voice of a new man rang out.

"And just who the hell are you?" Melody asked as she joined her fiancé on the newly formed Zoid grave yard.

"I am the new Jury, the other white Zaber is the new Boss, that leaves the Konig for the new Executioner," Jury said through the speakers of his Great Zaber.

"You swear to meet us in the dessert in one week and we will let them both go here and now," the Judge said as his Zoid motioned to someone. Two men walking behind a pair of hand tied women; Moonbay and Sarah were in perfect health and walking on their own.

"I'll meet you," Melody said as she stepped up in the Zaber Fang she currently piloted. The Novis Special Zaber Fang took two steps forward and joined the other.

"I'll meet you there, now let my friend's mother and sister leave as promised," Joyce said pointing the Gatling unit towards the two men behind Moonbay and Sarah.

Republican and Imperial Zoid alike arrived back at Red River base thirty minutes after picking up Moonbay and Sarah.

"It's good to see you big brother, thank you for rescuing us," Sarah shouted as she ran to her brother after jumping out of the cockpit of an Imperial Zoid.

"Great to see you in one piece sis," Michael said laughing as she jumped into his arms.

Moonbay, Wolf, Clare, Rob Herman, Karl Schubaltz, and one person who everyone was shocked to see except for Daniel, Van Flyheight watched on.

"Okay, we have everyone here, let's find out just how the heck my father is standing over there," Daniel said trying and failing to sound surprised.

"My boy, your father was undercover as the Executioner of the Judges for almost ten years," Rob Herman said as he walked towards Van, who was currently wrapped in a hug by Joyce.

"What about the body we put in the ground," Clare asked as they walked out of the hanger.

"A mannequin, dressed and weighted to look and feel like me," Van replied two steps behind them.

They spent the first day of the week talking about a plan of action, and just which of the pilots would actually be in the Zoids.

"You aren't putting anyone but me in that cockpit," Melody screamed as they sat around the briefing room table.

"Same goes for me, we have fought these guys before and we know most of their abilities, and nearly all of their weak points as well," Joyce followed up.

"That's enough you two, be quiet and listen, we can't afford to lose both of you in a senseless fight with four idiots who by the way I learned a few tricks from," Van said placing a hand on Joyce's shoulder.

"Van is right, and I understand that you two want this fight but you will have back up, Captain Schubaltz at Dragon Head has approved the Iron Kong unit they sent to help in the search as back up for you," Rudolph said crossing his arms across his chest.

"The Judges are only four Zoids strong and they have a sense of fair play, it'll be one on one to the end of the fight, and I have a feeling that none of those new pilots are as good as the old ones," Daniel said as he leaned back in his chair.

"Daniel, you and Michael will be the main back up, right there on the field with them," Natalia said from her place behind her father.

"No, I want to be the main back up, I know Joyce is Daniel's sister but I have the bigger gun and I love her," Nichalo finally spoke up, "And since Michael will be backing his fiancé it seems appropriate that I should back mine."

No one in the room was surprised except for Reese who had heard nothing of the engagement.

"Alright, the black and blue Blade Liger and the Novis Special Zaber Fang will go to the front line with Melody and Joyce and the controls, and the Psycho Genosaurer and the Lightning Siax following behind them," Natalia said before anyone could stop her.

"The rest of the main troops will spread out and surround the area at a distance of one mile," Rob said getting a yes sir from all of them in return.

The next four days moved like molasses for the team, they finished all the repairs and modifications they could in two days, and were enjoying a little time off before the big show down.

"Michael, if we come out of this in one piece let's get married by the end of this month," Melody said quietly lying on Michael's chest.

"Why wait till after, we have that promotions board tomorrow and the Emperor will be here and the president too so why not let them do the ceremony so we're hitched in both nations?" Michael said chuckling at Melody's face lighting up.

"Look I know you really don't want to wait, but Daniel and Natalia are planning to do the same thing though," Melody said as she propped herself on her elbow avoiding Michael's still broken arm.

"Daniel and Natalia are doing it because they won't be seeing each other for a month after this thing since Daniel is going on guard duty for the Emperor while Rosso and Viola deal with the birth of their child," Michael argued.

"You know I'm superstitious about the past repeating itself and all that, I'm just not willing to lose you that way okay," Melody said rolling her body to face away from him.

"Okay, WHEN we come back we'll plan your dream wedding and hold it whenever you want," Michael whispered as he wrapped his arms around her.

The next day, Michael, Melody and Daniel were promoted to captain with Nichalo and Joyce. The wedding part of the ceremony went without the slightest hiccup and Natalia Herman Captain of Red River base became Natalia Flyheight Captain of Red River base. Just after the celebrations ended Michael, Melody, Nichalo and Joyce flew out of the hanger as 50 Imperial and Republican Zoids and pilots were being loaded on to a Whale King. When the four arrived at the specified locations there was nothing but sand waiting for them.

"We aren't early are we?" Joyce asked with confusion evident in her voice.

"Maybe they didn't remember to show up," Michael smirked.

"We showed up, we just wanted to take care of your back up forces first, we got all of them but five it would seem, a Blade Liger, a Konig Wolf, and a few others," The Judge's voice rang out as the two Konigs and two Great Zabers appeared over a dune.

"We asked for just the Blade Liger, and the Zaber Fang," Jury spoke with anger in his tone.

"We are just here to make sure that this fight remains fair, we won't engage if you don't," Michael stated coldly.

One of the Konig Wolves took a step forward, and it pawed at the ground a couple times.

"I want the Blade Liger," The Executioner's voice rang through the speakers of his Zoid.

"Then you shall have me," Melody said quickly bounding towards the Zoid. The blades went down to the Liger's sides and quickly sliced the Konig neatly in half just below the cockpit.

"Never underestimate her when she's angry," Nichalo laughed from the cockpit of the Psycho Genosaurer.

"He never has been overly bright," The Boss said from his cockpit. Next up was the Judge himself, his Konig pawed the ground the same way the Executioner had.

"Now I will finish you," The Judge said.

The same strategy that worked before still worked, every time the Judge was about to move the right front paw moved, Melody used this to fight off every attack he launched against her, including batting a bullet out of the air with the tail blades.

"You've improved your skill young lady, I've never seen a move like that," The Judge said commenting on the shot knocked out of the air.

"Well you're still the same, attack first, ask questions later," Melody said dodging another attack.

The Konig leaped into the air and the Blade Liger ducked under the front paws, but Melody didn't react in time to jump the Blade Liger before the back two paws of the Konig landed square on the booster pack sending it flying forward.

"MELODY!" Michael screamed as he resisted every nerve in his body telling him to run to the downed Blade Liger, his Siax began to tear at the ground under its feet, but never moved from its place.

"Who's next?" The Judge asked before noticing the Blade Liger standing up behind him.

"Now that was just mean," Melody's voice came through the radios. A video link popped up on every single Zoids screen, her face was the same but her eyes had turned to the same stone grey as her mothers. "You finish with me before you go after anyone else," she said as she launched the Blade Liger forward with the blades down, and energized.

"That won't work," The Judge said as he jumped over the blades, Melody swung the tail and caught the left rear leg with the tail blades of her Zoid.

"You thought that might work, oh well," Melody said in a sarcastic tone as the Konig Wolf slowly turned around showing a heavily damaged leg.

No words were spoken from any Zoids as this battle raged on. The two pilots were matching each other blow for blow and dealing very heavy damage to the other.

"Now for my partner, POLARIS!" Melody screamed as a white beam of light entered the Zoid changing it to the white and pale blue paint scheme.

"That Organoid won't…" The Judge started before the Blade Liger simply vanished from in front of him.

The Blade Liger came from above the blade slicing from just behind the cockpit, cutting the Zoid core in half before exiting the body and cutting the back two legs off at the knee joints as it ran away from the Konig.

"Umm, Melody what just happened there," Joyce asked and she watched the Konig simply fell to the ground in pieces.

"The fun part is about to begin," Melody responded in a cold as ice tone as the two Great Zabers approached her. "Stay out of this you three," the black haired woman warned them all.

The two Great Zabers walked around the Blade Liger, its head turning to follow each one of them.

"Melody you need to move now," Michael said calmly as he could muster.

"Not yet babe, not yet," Melody muttered just before throwing the Blade Liger sideways and ramming the blade on the left side through the Great Zaber's core and then giving chase to the other.

The Blade Liger seemed to vanish and reappear right before their eyes. It was now standing in front of the Zaber and took it apart piece by piece with its teeth and claws as Melody laughed like a madwoman from the pilot's seat.

"The Judges are down, be on the lookout for any enemy forces," Nichalo shouted as the four Zoids stood back to back waiting for anything to happen.

"Now," was heard in a weak mutter from the Boss's Zoid, and out of nowhere twenty Rev Raptors and twenty Stinger Special Guysaks were coming out of the ground surrounding them.

"Where do they get these things, I mean come on," Nichalo complained as he charged the main weapon of his Zoid. "Everybody duck," he shouted as he launched the Zoid into the air and wiped out half the forces in a single blast with the Charged Particle Gun.

"Polaris and I will handle the rest," Melody said icily as she powered through every last standing Zoid with her blades. "What do you think of me now ass holes?" Melody asked as she stopped the Blade Liger with no Zoid left standing but her own team.


	11. Chapter 11

Ch. 11

Two months went by and no one, anywhere on Zi had heard from or anything about the Judges, the leader was revealed to be a convict who escaped from prison, as were all the rest of the human members of the group. It was also revealed that most of the Zoids were sleepers stolen from the armies of Zi and reprogrammed to fight for them on order instead of sensor.

The Guysaks were modified after being found to look but not act or move like Stinger's Zoid. The remaining living members of the Judges were jailed for escape and many other charges that depended on the person's past. The four leaders were buried in pine boxes in unmarked graves outside Red River base's cemetery, which was only occupied by two marked graves, Major O'Connell and Captain Daniel Mark Novis.

Melody's dream wedding was planned and the dress and tuxes bought, Natalia was currently aiding the women into the dress while Joyce and Sarah did her hair and makeup, Melody was nervous and they all knew to keep their mouth shut. Michael was walking around the groom's room with his tux on and ready for anything.

"You nervous little brother?" Daniel asked using the nickname he had given Michael when they were younger.

"Not in the least, but how can I be, I'm getting married to the most beautiful and sweetest girl I know," Michael said with a smile.

"Okay, that means you can go through your vows with me, right?" Daniel asked watching the man's face turn white as snow.

"Oh hell, I knew I forgot something," Michael said as he went into a full panic mode, looking around the room.

"Don't worry little brother, you were always the better one at thinking on your feet," Daniel said chuckling before placing a hand on Michael's shoulder, "Look, when you get up there just pour your heart out, with all that mushy stuff you've been spouting the past couple days and you'll be fine," he said laughing.

After all the preparations were made, Michael left with Daniel who would be acting as best man, and Nichalo as a groomsman. They stood tall at the altar wearing black tuxedos laced with blue accents on the lapels and jacket buttons, and ties.

Moonbay was sitting in the audience crying 'my little boy is getting married' with Van and Fiona trying to comfort her, Clare was sitting alone on the pew of the church waiting for her husband and daughter to walk down the aisle, she hadn't even been allowed to see the dress that Melody picked out. The music started and Natalia walked out first and took her place at the top step in the Maid of Honor's spot. Joyce came in after and stood next to her, with Sarah standing on the lower step.

"She looks beautiful," Natalia mouthed to Daniel as they stood across from one another.

The wedding march began playing and the doors at the back of the church opened to reveal Melody with her long black hair flowing down to her shoulder blades, and wearing a white silk, strapless Princess silhouette that had simple and elegant design covering the entire dress and bodice. Michael's jaw nearly hit the floor when he saw her. Daniel simply smiled as his so called little brother collected himself. Melody smiled as her father Wolf gave her away, and kissed her on the cheek before heading to his seat next to Clare who had tears in her eyes.

"We are gathered here today to join Michael and Melody together in the bonds of holy matrimony, the couple has chosen to write their own vows, Melody will you start," the minister said politely.

"Michael, you and I have pretty much known each other our whole lives, though it took us nearly 23 years to realize what we meant to each other, but today I stand before you to become your wife because I love you and always will," Melody said keeping her vows short because she was choking on a knot forming in her throat.

"Melody, I'm going to be honest, I did forget to write my vows down, but they're up here," Michael said pointing at his head. "Melody, I knew that when we were kids I liked you more than the others, and in fact I told my mother that I loved you when I was six years old, and that feeling has been held in my heart since then, never going away but growing and filling my heart and mind, every time I look at you the first thing that comes to me was how beautiful you are, and how sweet you have always been," Michael paused to take a breath. "I have loved you since I was six years old, and that will never change," He finished taking both of Melody's hands in his. The minister took over after Michael nodded he was finished.

"Do you Melody Novis take Captain Michael to be your lawfully wedded husband, in sickness and in health, good times and bad?" He asked.

"We've already been through all that and here we stand so yes, I do," Melody said getting a chuckle out of Michael and his wedding party.

"Do you Captain Michael; take Melody Novis to be your lawfully wedded wife, in sickness and in health, good times and bad?" The minister asked again.

"She beat me up after I was injured already, and here we stand so yes, I do," Michael said making Melody turn beet red. They slipped the rings on each other's fingers while the minister waited.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, I now present to you, Mr. and Mrs. Michael Novis," The minister said before everyone in the chapel burst out laughing. As the couple walked back down the aisle, the Organoids stood on either side of the aisle growling congratulations as they walked between them.

At the reception hall, Daniel and Nichalo put on a sword fight as their wedding gift, Joyce and Natalia got them something useful.

The dances started with the father daughter dance, where Melody and Wolf did a waltz they had been practicing, then Michael and Melody shared their first dance as a married couple doing the foxtrot. Every one joined in on the dancing then, Joyce and Nichalo shared their first dance as a married couple, they got married two weeks before and were just coming back from their honeymoon when Melody and Michael set the date for their wedding. Wolf and Clare seemed to enjoy watching the newly married couples dancing around the floor.

"Wolf let's have a go shall we," Clare said getting up with Wolf following close behind.

The couple danced to their hearts content before noticing that they were being watched by all. Melody noticed that Moonbay was sitting alone watching the different people dance.

"Michael, go dance with your mother, she needs the company," Melody said leaving the floor.

"Alright," Michael said walking towards his mother.

"Mom, care to dance with me?" Michael asked holding out a hand. Moonbay just shook her head and got up and ran out the door. Michael ran right behind her, with Sarah close behind them.

"MOONBAY!" the brown haired grey eyed man screamed as he tried to catch up to her. Moonbay stopped cold, hearing Irvine's voice call her not Michael's.

"Mom, what's wrong?" Michael asked catching up to her, not realizing he was the picture of his father at that moment.

"I still miss him so much," Moonbay said breaking down in his arms.

Sarah caught up to them, before Michael waved her off telling her to let Melody know what was going on. An hour later they were all back in the reception hall and enjoying the party and having fun until the newlyweds had to leave for their honeymoon. They spent two weeks on a resort island in the sun.

When they reported back to base Nichalo and Joyce had gotten their promotions to heads of their departments, Nichalo in Zoid repair and Joyce in testing and research. Nothing had changed at all, and the pair went back on duty with the only change in their uniforms being the wedding bands on their hands.

Ten years passed before Melody and Michael along with Natalia and Daniel retired from the Guardian Force as Majors, Wolf, Clare and the others welcomed them back to the Wind Colony. A year after that Nichalo and Joyce retired as well and rejoined the family at the Wind Colony.

Samantha Novis finally moved away from the Fire Colony to the Wind Colony. Two years after retiring Melody and Michael had identical black hair and grey eyed twins named, Moonbay and Clare after their mothers. Daniel and Natalia had a son named Irvine, a few months later Nichalo and Joyce had a girl they named Fiona after Joyce's mother.


	12. Judges OC Profiles

These are my Characters no using them without permission please...

* * *

><p>Character Sheet<p>

Name: Daniel Flyheight

Gender: Male

Looks: spitting image of Van Flyheight, with blonde hair and red eyes. 5'8" Tall, and 160 lbs of muscle, 28 years old, wears his father's GF uniform.

Personality: much like Wolf in the fact he doesn't show his emotions, more like his father in showing a deep concern for those around him, and those he cares deeply for. Would rather be informal then go through formalities, most of his commanding officers don't mind this though. Served time as presidential guard for president Rob Herman. He goes through formalities such as saluting and sir or ma'am only when getting to a new base assignment.

Zoids: tech exchange Great Zaber

Zoids Features: painted like his father's Blade liger, normal Great Zaber weapons package

* * *

><p>Character Sheet<p>

Name: Joyce Flyheight

Gender: Female

Looks: 5'4" Tall, 100 lbs, 22 years old, spitting image of Fiona with black hair and black eyes, hair is worn in the same style as Fiona's. she wears an outfit similar to Fiona's in GF but colored a deep blue.

Personality: Mostly interested in sciences and technology, works under Thomas in the Research department of the Guardian Force. She works as a test pilot most of the time, her testing Zoid is well upgraded with new technologies and is pretty much a test only Zoid, so it doesn't leave base very often.

Zoid: Daniel Novis Zaber Fang

Zoid Features: Dark Blue paint job with Schubaltz weaponry, with reinforced joints, claws and teeth, has all the latest technologies and BEEK AI unit installed.

* * *

><p>Character Sheet<p>

Name: Melody Novis

Gender: Female

Looks: 5'6" tall, 24 years old, 110 lbs, She basically looks like her mother but with her father's black hair and blue eyes. Wears Clare O'Connell's old GF uniform.

Personality: Hard headed and stubborn like her father, she has a liking for going as fast as possible in a Zoid, if her friends or the people she calls family are in any danger she becomes a force compared only to Mother Nature, and will only stop when she knows that they are out of danger, this is on or off the battlefield, though she is normally very calm and rational almost to a fault.

Zoids: Blade Liger

Zoid Features: The Paint scheme is all blue with black accents in the whiskers and shoulders instead of white, extra weapons that attach to the back side of the blades like Van's. The shock cannon on the under belly as been modified for extra punch.

* * *

><p>Character Sheet<p>

Name: Michael (Irvine and Moonbay)

Gender: Male

Looks: 5'9" tall, 23, brown hair, and grey eyes with Moonbay's tan and Zi mark on the left side of his face. Wears Irvine's eye patch on the left eye. Wears a standard Lieutenant's uniform of the Republican Army.

Personality: very laid back until he's in a hurry to get somewhere, on the battlefield he gives cover fire for anyone who needs it before charging in head first to use his Zoids teeth and claws. Prefers close combat to long range. Crazy enough to jettison his main weapons if he thinks it will give him an advantage of any kind, and he loves to go fast.

Zoid: Power Reinforced Command Wolf

Zoid features: reinforced joints all around and a pair of booster packs on the legs, and paint scheme to match the Command Wolf his father piloted.

Zoid 2: Lightning Siax

Zoid 2 features: Painted to match his father's with sensor and control modifications.

* * *

><p>Character Sheet<p>

Name: Sarah (Irvine and Moonbay)

Gender: Female

Looks: 5'3" tall, black hair, grey eyes, 110 lbs, Wears an outfit similar to Moonbay's GF wear, though instead of tans and beige, colored in pinks and reds, 16 years old.

Personality: Generally sweet, though very conniving and sly when it comes to money, the best cook of the group, and pilots any Zoid you hand her with the skill of someone who's been piloting it for years, has an uncanny ability to adapt to most situations, and is hardly ever surprised by the things her friends and family do in a Zoid.

Zoid: Moonbay's Gustav

Zoid Features: ITS MOONBAY'S GUSTAV

* * *

><p>Character Sheet<p>

Name: Nichalo (Raven and Reese)

Gander: Male

Looks: black shoulder length hair and blue eyes, 5' 7" tall, 150 lbs, 24 years old, blue Zi mark like Raven's, wears a uniform similar to his father's but with two blue accent stripes on the shoulders and down the pant legs.

Personality: Acts a lot like Raven (his Father) on the battlefield, off it he is kind hearted and ready to help anyone who need it, he would rather work on Zoids then pilot and fight with them, he is the primary mechanic for Melody's Blade Liger.

Zoid: Reese's Psycho Genosaurer

Zoid features: ITS REESE'S

* * *

><p>Character Sheet<p>

Name: Natalia Herman

Gender: Female

Looks: shoulder blade length blonde hair worn in a high pony tail when on duty, usually curls when she's off, 5' 6" tall, 120 pounds, 28 years old. Wears a Captain's Republican Uniform.

Personality: a stickler for formality and direct chain of command while on duty and the battlefield but doesn't care when off duty, worries about anyone under her command on or off the battlefield, chooses who ever she thinks best for a mission instead of sending who ever annoys her most like some others. On the battlefield she will not stop until the enemy is retreating or completely decimated.

Zoids: Shield Liger

Zoid Features: standard Republican Zoid with red flame paint scheme.


End file.
